The privatization of Petrobras is a reasonable debate, an issue even for those who are against the sale of state control of the company. I mean, it’s a reasonable argument in theory: it’s not hard to imagine the amount of trickery, cleverness, or favor that could muddy or at least scramble the process.
See the tortoises of inefficient favors that they put in the Eletrobras privatization law. Consider the privatization of telecom companies (1998). It was mostly a success. Part of it was a roll of almost a quarter of a century, which crossed the Toucan and PT governments, see the case of Oi, apparently resolved, so to speak, only this year.
It would be an exaggeration to say that the privatization of Petrobras would perhaps become a “Russian oligarchy” episode, as was the general dismantling of the Soviet state. It would be, right, but we are also discussing nowadays whether Brazil can become a Hungary of Viktor Orbán, Bolsonaro’s friend and inspiration autocrat. Everything is possible in this world without God. But let’s go.
Arthur Lira (PP-AL), president of the Chamber, spoke this Tuesday (5th) of privatizing Petrobras. He spoke as regent of Bolsonaro’s mismanagement, all scorned because they mocked the appointments of Rodolfo Landim and Adriano Pires to command the oil company.
Fulo, was confused about the idea of ​​revenge: he suggested both changing the law on state-owned companies and privatizing Petrobras.
“We have to look into this matter. [lei das estatais]… Who does Petrobras serve? It doesn’t give satisfaction to anyone, it doesn’t produce wealth, it doesn’t produce development”, said Lira. By the way, who produces “wealth” and “development”?
Lira also said: “If it doesn’t have any benefit for the State, nor for the Brazilian people, who live complaining every day about fuel prices, let it be privatized and let us treat it with the necessary seriousness”.
When he has tantrums about oil prices, Bolsonaro says the same thing. “For me, it’s a company that could be privatized today… And Petrobras became Petrobras Futebol Clube, where the little club inside only thinks about them. They never think about Brazil…” (March 15, 2022) .
“I already want to privatize Petrobras. I’ll see with the economic team what we can do because, what happens? I can’t, it’s not control, I can’t better direct the price of fuel, but when the guilt increases is mine…” (October 14, 2021).
Until 2020, when price was not an issue, Bolsonaro did not want to know about selling Petrobras, BB and CEF. He behaved like a statist mixture of an even cruder Geisel with a centenarian manner.
Lira doesn’t know what he’s talking about, Bolsonaro even less. Have we heard the two of them discussing the company’s research and development policy (or the government in general)? Laugh, laugh, laugh. State-owned companies’ law does not prevent “public policy” from being made, and companies acting outside market standards. But such policies would require a plan, a formal agreement, law, perhaps even a change in the company’s bylaws.
It wouldn’t go down well with most owners of the money, but it could be an idea, provided for in the rules. These people, however, are brucutu. If he doesn’t understand the machine and if there are no golden eggs, he wants to kill or destroy the thing with a stick.
The center salivates in front of state-owned companies. Foam if the state machine doesn’t turn into a FNDE (National Fund for the Development of Education), the golden calf of Bolsonaro’s pastors friends and stingy bids, or a Codevasf, spawning ground for parliamentary amendments. What are they for, then?
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
