Mônica Bergamo: Petrobras officializes the risk of a lack of diesel, and advisers say they are perplexed by the government’s neglect

Petrobras decided to formalize the warning it made to the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) that there may be a shortage of diesel in Brazil.

YELLOW SIGN

The information had already been informally passed on to the government by the state-owned company. The company’s management decided, however, to send a letter to the government with the data. Thus, Jair Bolsonaro’s team and the president will not be able to claim ignorance or place responsibility on the company’s shoulders if the crisis, in fact, takes place.

SIGN 2

The scarcity of fuel is one of the company’s justifications to defend its sale at market price. Any change in the rule, he says, could affect the import of the product and worsen the situation, which is already delicate.

DRY LAW

The pumps would run dry precisely in the third quarter, when demand for diesel increases seasonally in Brazil and the US. The season is the time of greatest grain exports by the country. A crisis could affect the Brazilian GDP.

IN PLANET

The world is experiencing the worst fuel shortage in 14 years, due to Russia’s war against Ukraine. Vladimir Putin’s country, which suffers from sanctions, is one of the world’s biggest oil exporters. With international inventories at historic lows, refineries in the US Gulf, which supply Brazil, for example, began to redirect cargo to Europe.

PLANET 2

Petrobras advisers say they are perplexed by the fact that the Bolsonaro government has so far not presented the country with an emergency plan to face a probable shortage of diesel.

PLANET 3

They define the government’s reaction as “negligence”. And they say that proposals for saving fuel and prioritizing its supply should already be being designed for some essential sectors – such as health and food distribution.

SILENCE

When contacted, Petrobras declined to comment.

THE TABLE

Director Jorge Takla received singer Fafá de Belém and other guests at a dinner at his house, on Tuesday (24), in São Paulo. The meeting paid tribute to the Lebanese director Oualid Mouaness, whose film “1982” premieres on the 2nd. Actress Mayana Neiva also went there.

_{with BIANKA VIEIRA, KARINA MATIAS and MANOELLA SMITH}