The Brazilian president lamented not having “powers over Petrobras” and that if he might he would privatize it. All this due to the high prices of gasoline in his country, which he described as “a crime.”
The Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaroraised his criticism of the state company on Wednesday Petrobras by the continuous increases in fuel prices, which he described as “crime once morest the population”.
The oil company, controlled by the State but listed on the Sao Paulo, New York and Madrid stock exchanges, announced last week a increase of 18.8% in the price of gasoline and 24.9% in dieselwhich puts pressure on inflation at a time when Bolsonaro prepares his campaign for the October elections.
According to Bolsonaro, this last readjustment was announced when the price of oil in international markets reached 130 dollars due to the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In this context, the government official considered that Petrobras now that the price of crude oil has dropped to around 100 dollars per barrel, the increase in fuel in Brazil should be reviewed.
“Could it be that they are going to do it or is it very good for them at Petrobras?”said Bolsonaro, who regretted not being able to “interfere” in pricing policies of the company and even not being able to order its privatization.
“I have no powers over Petrobras. But, for me, it is a company that might be privatized today”, because “it would get rid of that problem”said in an interview with TV Ponte Negra regarding a more than remote possibility, since an eventual transfer to private hands would have to be authorized by Parliament, which resists that hypothesis.
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Bolsonaro also directed his criticism at the president of Petrobras, Army Reserve General Joaquim Silva e Luna, whom he himself appointed to that position in February 2021.
Silva e Luna replaced the economist Roberto Castello Branco, who was fired precisely because of Bolsonaro’s complaints following fuel prices increased by 35% in a matter of three months, also because of international market pressures.
In his statements to TV Ponte Negra, he said that the president of the oil company “It can be changed”something that, he pointed out, can happen in any state “for reasons of productivity, failures or omission in the service”, although he did not clarify if it is in his plans.
The recent increases in fuels have put pressure on inflation, which since the end of last year has been above 10% per year and, according to official sources, it is seen as an obstacle in Bolsonaro’s path towards a possible re-election.
Brazil will go to the polls next October and, according to the polls, the favorite is the progressive Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvawho governed between 2003 and 2011 and is the greatest political antagonist of the leader of the extreme right.
