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I don’t deal with the president about fuel prices, says Silva e Luna

In an interview with CNN on Wednesday night (10), the president of Petrobras, General Joaquim Silva e Luna, stated that he did not discuss pricing policy with President Jair Bolsonaro. “My relationship with President Bolsonaro is one of deep respect and consideration, and that is reciprocal. I don’t deal with the president about the price of fuel. We haven’t talked about this subject.”

Joaquim Silva e Luna argued that fuel prices follow market prices, and acknowledged that they are high, noting that inflation is a global phenomenon. “It’s worth saying that prices are too high. Inflation is high and worldwide, due to a series of converging factors. Oil is a commodity and it is no different. The consumer and producer market defines this price balance.”

Silva e Luna also said that, as price parity is a reference, what Petrobras does is to monitor the field value and the value of gasoline and oil in different markets – Asian, European, United States, for example.

The president of the state-owned company pointed out that the company “very sensitively monitors this concern” with prices, not to pass it on to the consumer. “We went as far as 92 days without changing fuel prices. We do not make any sudden changes in the situation. It seeks to identify whether this change [de preços] it is structural. The care we take is with the market supply”, he stated.

According to Silva and Luna, Petrobras contributes with R$ 2.33 to the value of the gasoline price, with the rest being the other components that make up the fuel price. “And Petrobras, although it is a public company, it is on the stock exchange and has to behave like a private company. This is how it is in the law, this is how it is in the norm and this is how it is in the Federal Constitution, this is how it is in the State-owned Law, this is how CADE follows up. So, although Petrobras has great sensitivity about this, there is no way to take action on it other than to follow market prices.”

Privatization

Regarding the possibility of privatizing the company, already discussed by President Jair Bolsonaro, the president of the state-owned company said that this is a decision taken by the shareholder. “I understand that this is a choice of the majority shareholder, to be considered, and if considered appropriate. It is not a project that can be solved overnight, but this is a decision that will be up to the majority shareholder, if he decides to go ahead.”

billion dollar dividends

Silva e Luna also commented on the distribution of state-owned dividends to shareholders. “Petrobras is currently experiencing its best moment in its entire history. After having repaid a debt that is equivalent to a Vale, to several Itaú banks. I have noticed that Congress is sensitive to this. That what is being worked on today with the president and with Congress is precisely to take advantage of this resource that was not foreseen, such as royalties, a very significant amount, so that it can be used. It would be a way for Petrobras to give back to society what it is capable of producing. Since it can’t with public policies.”

*Text published by Ana Carolina Nunes

Reference: CNN Brasil

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