Petrobras Committee approves Bolsonaro’s nominee

Despite questions about compatibility with the State-Owned Companies Law, the appointment of Caio Paes de Andrade to the presidency of Petrobras was approved by the committee responsible for analyzing the CVs of nominees in charge of the company.

His inauguration now depends on the approval of the company’s board of directors, which meets in an extraordinary way to discuss the topic next Monday (27). After the meeting this Friday (24), the oil workers said they are going to court to try to prevent the appointment.

In a statement, Petrobras says the decision was by majority, but does not give details about the vote. THE Sheet found that the chairman of the committee, Francisco Petros, was the only one of the four members to vote against the nomination.

Petros represents minority shareholders on the company’s board of directors. In addition to him, the so-called Eligibility Committee is formed by the counselor Luiz Henrique Caroli, appointed by the government to the position, and by the external members Ana Silvia Matte and Tales Bronzato.

For this meeting, the group also had the participation of Marcelo Mesquita, who also represents minority shareholders on Petrobras’ board of directors. He would have the tie-breaking vote, which was not necessary.

Shortly after the meeting, the FUP (Federação Único dos Petroleiros) and Anapetro (National Association of Oil Workers Minority Shareholders of Petrobras) said they would go to court if the appointment is confirmed by the board of directors next week.

They allege that the appointment of Paes de Andrade does not meet the requirements required by the Law on State-Owned Companies for candidates for positions in the top management of these companies, such as compatible academic training and minimum experience of ten years in the energy sector or in a company the size of Petrobras.

He holds a degree in social communication and made a career at an investment company in technology startups until he took office in the Bolsonaro government. He was a secretary at the Ministry of Economy when he was appointed to head Petrobras.

“The FUP and affiliated unions will file a popular action in the Federal Court for an act harmful to the public administration for the appointment of a person with no experience for the position”, says the note released by the federation, which had already sent a letter to the council, in partnership with Anapetro , asking for rejection of the name.

If confirmed by the board, Paes de Andrade will be the fourth president of Petrobras in the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government. He replaces José Mauro Coelho, fired by the President of the Republic just over a month after taking office, amid pressure against fuel price readjustments.

Before Coelho, Bolsonaro had already fired General Joaquim Silva e Luna and Roberto Castello Branco, the first executive to command the state-owned company in his government. In all cases, the layoffs were motivated by rising prices.

The oil workers see the appointment of Paes de Andrade as a move towards the privatization of Petrobras, which has support from the Ministries of Mines and Energy and the Economy, and promise a national strike if the process goes ahead.

With popularity hit by escalating inflation, Bolsonaro has been attacking fuel price policy and said on Thursday that the new board of directors could make changes. To renew the collegiate body, he indicated a list made up mostly of public office holders.

The nominations include number two in the Civil House, Jonathas Assunção, the Attorney General of the National Treasury, Ricardo Soriano de Alencar, and Ieda Aparecida Moura Gagni, chairman of the board of Banco do Brasil and who has worked in several public bodies, including the Treasury. National.

The names are still being analyzed by the internal committee, but some nominations, such as that of Asunción, are also questioned for non-compliance with the State-owned Companies Law. There is still no date for the meeting that will renew the board.