Parliamentarians ask justice to suspend Petrobras’ mega-increase

The Mixed Parliamentary Front of the Autonomous and Celetista Truck Driver, which brings together 235 deputies and 25 senators, entered today in the TRF-1 (Federal Regional Court of the 1st. Region) with a request for an injunction for the suspension of the mega-increase in fuels announced this Thursday Friday (10th) by Petrobras.

The National Council for Road Cargo Transport, with representation in 22 states, also signs the order, in addition to other transport representation entities.

“Bolsonaro betrayed the truck drivers. We need sustainable policies”, says deputy Nereu Crispim (PSL-RS), president of the parliamentary front.

“We have to suspend this increase, based on the maximum of consumer law, according to which it is prohibited to use international indices to readjust prices of services and products internally in Brazil”, he says.

Contrary to what the President of the Republic said on Thursday, the Rio Grande do Sul deputy considers that the legislation gives him responsibility for managing Petrobras and its pricing policy.

“In the federal government, who was responsible for dealing with this matter with truck drivers was Minister Tarcísio Freitas (Infrastructure). And President Bolsonaro, before the elections, recorded a video saying he would deal with the issue because this change in the price policy Petrobras was one of the truck drivers’ agendas”, evaluates the parliamentarian.

In October of last year, Crispim presented to the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira, an indication that should be taken to President Bolsonaro, requesting the end of the current Petrobras price policy, which transfers the increases in the barrel of oil in the international market to the fuel pumps. But the request did not go through, says the deputy.

In 2021, Crispim also presented the PL 750/21 to the Chamber, creating a stabilization fund and the end of the current policy of parity with international prices, called PPI.

“We know that the pricing policy generated more than R$100 million in profits that are being sent abroad. Meanwhile, they said that this policy would keep Petrobras healthy and able to make investments. But where are the investments?” , asks Crispin.

“Today, Minister Tarcísio is not respected in the truck drivers category because, during these two years, he never made a delivery [do prometido na campanha] to truck drivers. The main agenda, in addition to the minimum price that is in the STF [Supremo Tribunal Federal]it was precisely the change in Petrobras policy, which was one of the agendas that President Bolsonaro had made a commitment to there in 2018, before the elections”, says the deputy.

In the parliamentarian’s assessment, by today approving a proposal to end the PPI, the Senate would have acted in response to the pressure from society, caused by the announced increase.

“The government raised prices, and the Senate voted this afternoon, almost under pressure, as a response to society. But before that they created this large tortoise, 25% [de reajuste], to only now withdraw the PPI. In fact, they are putting fat to meet the interests of investors on the Stock Exchanges and international lobbyists who bring the fuel back to Brazil”.

Crispim also criticizes the creation of the transport voucher. “We will have to work hard to withdraw this gasoline voucher that they are trying to give, which is a masked ride to win votes”, says the deputy.