Cruzeiro: the money used by the Candangos (Brasilia’s construction workers)

By visiting this virtual exhibition, part of the numismatic collection of the Money Museum of Brazilian Central Bank, from the historic time of the construction of Brasília will be shown. Visitors will take a walk through the early period of the city, getting to know the circulating medium of the time, interspersed with news of economic daily life, published in the first issues of the newspaper Correio Braziliense.

Candango, according to the dictionary, is "a name given to the ordinary laborers who worked on the construction of Brasilia".
In these short excerpts from Vladimir de Carvalho's Old Countrymen of War (Conterrâneos Velhos de Guerra), it is noted that the main attraction for the Candangos migrating to Brasília was the possibility of getting work and earning money to improve their lives. What money did the Candangos who worked on the future federal capital receive?

The money used in that period was the cruzeiro, which had been introduced in 1942, and was Brazil's currency until 1967. The coins then in circulation were these, all with the coat of arms of the Republic on their obverse.

And what could the Candangos buy with these coins?

To buy one of these products, the Candangos could also use bills, such as those of one, two, and five cruzeiros.

What other products were used by the Candangos and were around at the time?

The Candangos could use these Cr$ 10 or Cr$ 20 bills, to buy this product.

However, to have a meal in a restaurant, the Candangos had to spend a little more of their salary, which would cost them a lot of money.

For this, the Candangos would have to use the bills we have just seen or some of slightly higher denominations.

And how much did a Candango receive for his work?
Although the minimum wage at the time was Cr$ 6000 (Decree No. 45106-A, 1958), the hourly wage of the Candangos varied according to their skills and whether they worked during the day or at night:
• Carpenter: Cr$ 18.00 or 21.60
• Various senior categories (electrician, foreman, overseer): Cr$ 20.00 or 24.00
• Unskilled laborer: Cr$ 10.00 or 12.00
• Lubricator: Cr$ 15.00 or 18.00
• Guard: Cr$ 10.00 or 12.00
• Driver: Cr$ 25.00 or 30.00

(JÚNIOR 2008)

... paying for their purchases with higher-denomination bills ...

The relationship between the Candangos and the newly established financial institutions in the capital was also written about in the press.

For Osvaldo Freitas Cunha, the donor identified in the newspaper report, 2 bills with the highest face value, Cr$ 5000, and some others already presented in this exhibition were enough to cover what was lost in a fire by João Gonçalves de Brito.

Behind the monuments, grandiose buildings, and huge blocks, there was a newly resident population, doing their daily shopping and earning money to make their dreams come true.
It is estimated that around 64,000 people lived in the Federal District in 1959, a number that has never stopped growing since then. Without their help, the capital of Brazil would not exist.
This exhibition offers a visual depiction of the daily economic life of these brave pioneers.