Pires says he does not want to take over Petrobras and creates an impasse for the government

Businessman Adriano Pires informed Palácio do Planalto this Monday (4th) that he had difficulties to assume the presidency of Petrobras and created an impasse for the government.

According to people linked to the state-owned company, Minister Bento Albuquerque (Mines and Energy) was still looking on Monday afternoon to find a solution to convince Pires to change his mind.

According to government officials, there is still no clarity about a plan B, if Pires gives up.

So far, Palácio do Planalto and the MME (Ministry of Mines and Energy) say they have not received any official communiqué about the withdrawal.​

The economist’s decision creates an impasse for the government, which has less than ten days to find a replacement to preside over Petrobras.

In practice, although the exchange was announced, it would only take place on the 13th, at the company’s shareholders’ meeting, when the government presents its list of representatives to the board.

The turmoil made Petrobras’ preferred shares, the most traded on the stock exchange, fall 0.88% on Monday, pulling the market down.

This will be the third change at the helm of the company during the Bolsonaro administration, and it comes at a particularly sensitive time.

After the mega-increase in fuel prices, General Joaquim Silva e Luna came into the crosshairs of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), worried about rising prices and their inflationary effect.

The issue of fuel is considered one of the most important for Bolsonaro since last year, and it got worse with the war in Ukraine. In second place in polls, he is seeking re-election in October.

To palatial, the economist alleged a potential conflict of interest to justify his withdrawal.

One of the main obstacles to the appointment is the fact that Pires is the owner of the CBIE (Brazilian Center for Infrastructure), founded by the economist, who currently presides over the company, with his son as a partner and director of the company.

The problem is that, under the State-owned Companies Law, Pires could not simply leave the company and sell the shares to his son because the relative would continue to be a shareholder.

That is, to assume the presidency of Petrobras, not only Pires, but also his son should give up the company — which he does not want.

On the other hand, according to Planalto allies, Pires would also be concerned about possible interventions in the state-owned company, depending on the political moment.

Such as sheet showed, the nominee to replace General Joaquim Silva e Luna has a strong connection with Carlos Suarez, owner of Termogás, which controls piped gas distributors in regions not yet served by pipelines, such as the Federal District. He also became better known with the OAS S, which he helped to found and which he later left.

Last Friday, the Public Ministry of the TCU (Union Court of Auditors) filed a representation requesting an investigation by the CGU (Comptroller General of the Union) and the Ethics Commission on a possible conflict of interest, due to its performance in the sector. . The play also suggests that he only be appointed after the case is concluded.

Prosecutor Lucas Furtado also tells the court to investigate possible government interference in Petrobras with the change in command of the state-owned company.

The Petrobras People Committee, responsible for analyzing the nominations for the state’s top management, also saw a possible conflict of interest in the appointment of Pires to preside over the company.

Faced with suspicion, the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), came out in defense of Pires this Monday. “The press and perhaps the Public Ministry’s agenda is to condemn the possible president of Petrobras, because he was advising a business group. If I’m in the private sector, can’t I work for any business group? Can’t I provide services?” questioned.

“I mean, do you have to get a civil servant to be a director of Petrobras? Or get an archbishop to be a director of Petrobras?”, Lira continued. “No, you have to put someone who understands oil, someone who understands gas, someone who understands the sector, who will be judged from there on in the actions.”

According to the president of the Chamber, the situation shows a “false moralism, a hasty judgment” in actions that only hinder the country.

Pires’ signal that he does not want to run the company comes just over 24 hours after Flamengo’s president, Rodolfo Landim, gave up his presidency of the company’s board of directors, claiming that he needs to dedicate himself to running the club.

Those who follow the oil and gas sector, however, believe that there are other reasons.

In 2021, Landim was denounced by the Federal Public Ministry for alleged fraudulent management of investments that would have caused losses to pension funds of employees of Petrobras, Caixa and Banco do Brasil.

It is certain that he would be questioned for this in the assembly that would evaluate his nomination, and he would have given up fearing the disapproval of his name.

This Monday (4), the Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, said he was “without light” about the crisis generated with the change of command of Petrobras.

Responsible for the appointments in the economic area at the beginning of the government, he had already stated that he had not participated in the choice of Adriano Pires to preside over the company.

Guedes’ statement was given after lunch promoted by the Voto group at a hotel in the south of Rio de Janeiro. Upon entering the car, the press asked him to “shed some light” on what is happening at the state-owned company.