Gasoline price drops at stations, but remains above R$ 5

The average price of regular gasoline dropped to R$ 5.04 this week at Brazilian service stations, according to a survey released this Friday (13) by the ANP (National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels).

The new value represents a decrease of 1.6% compared to the previous week (R$ 5.12), the first of 2023. At the time, the price had risen for the second consecutive time, in a scenario of complaints from drivers in different regions.

According to the ANP, the average price of ethanol was R$ 3.94 this week in the country. This means a drop of 1.7% compared to the previous seven days (R$ 4.01).

Diesel oil also retreated this week. On average, the liter cost R$ 6.36, down 0.8% compared to the previous period (R$ 6.41).

After taking office on January 1, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) signed an MP (provisional measure) that extended the exemption of federal taxes on fuel.

The decision sought to prevent inflationary pressure right at the beginning of the new mandate, but was unable to prevent the increase in prices last week, as indicated by the previous survey by the ANP.

Part of the analysts believe that the uncertainty about the exemption may have anticipated the readjustments at the time. Before Lula took office, maintaining or not the tax cuts was still up for debate in the circle close to the PT.

The overthrow of fuel taxes was adopted by the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government as a way to contain prices in the midst of the 2022 election race. The federal tax exemption was initially scheduled until December 31 of last year.

With the extension signed by Lula, the PIS and Cofins cut will go until the end of February for gasoline (which will also be exempt from Cide during the period), ethanol, aviation kerosene and vehicular natural gas – in addition to naphtha.

The exemption will remain valid until the end of the year for diesel, biodiesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, cooking gas).

Cade (Administrative Council for Economic Defense) opened an investigation into the price increase in early 2023. The secretary of Senacon (National Consumer Secretariat), Wadih Damous, said that he sent notification to posts that practiced readjustments at the time.

According to the new ANP survey, the maximum price of gasoline in the country was R$ 6.99 this week. The minimum value found was R$ 4.19.

After the attacks against the buildings of the National Congress, the Planalto Palace and the STF (Federal Supreme Court), in Brasília, on Sunday (8), coup groups planned blockades in refineries in the country at the beginning of the week.

The extremists’ intention was to affect the operation of the units and stop the transport of fuel. The blockades, however, were prevented after the strengthening of policing in the vicinity of the refineries.