IntroductionLatin America is one of the most unequal regions in the world. Inequalities in the region date back to Spanish colonial times. Due to the mercantilist political economy of the Spaniards, certain groups such as European elites, merchants, and wealthy landowning classes were favored by the granting of rents while others – natives and slaves – were neglected (Mahoney 2010: 21). For years, Latin American countries, including Brazil, have been at the forefront of the fight against poverty and inequality. The efforts of the “left governments” that came to power in the early 2000s to reduce poverty and inequality have been praised around the world, particularly by the United Nations (UN) and its agencies. Among others, the establishment of Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programs by various governments in the region, the expansion of social services in sectors such as health (Family Health Program in Brazil) and class education previously marginalized social groups have contributed to a significant decline in the level of poverty and inequality in the region. Most countries in the region are currently at the forefront in terms of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), demonstrating the effectiveness of newly implemented social programs in the region. In Brazil, social development through the creation and expansion of social services has been the priority of the "left party" since the early 2000s. In particular, the creation of Bolsa Familia, a CCT program aimed at transferring money to poor families in the country, provided that children regularly attend school and the clinic, was welcomed and widely attributed to the sharp drop in income. ...... middle of document ......Social Protection Discussion Paper no. 0709, May 2007Mahoney, James. Colonialism and postcolonial development New York: Cambridge University Press, 2010Sanchez-Ancochea, Diego and Mattei, Lauro. “Bolsa Familia, Poverty and Inequality: Short- and Long-Term Political and Economic Effects” World Social Policy 11, no. 2-3 (2011): 299-318Soares, Sergei. “Bolsa Familia, its design, its impacts and its possibilities for the future” Working document no. 89: 1-37, February 2012Soares, Sergei. “Bolsa Familia: A summary of its impact” International Policy Center for Inclusive Growth: One Pager no. 137. February 2012Soares. Fabio, Ribas. Rafael and Osorio, Rafael. “Assessing the Impact of Bolsa Familia in Brazil: Cash Transfer Programs in Comparative Perspective” Latin America Research Review 45, no. 2 (2010): 173-190