Petrobras warns of possible lack of diesel in the country this year

The federal government was alerted by Petrobras directors about the risks of diesel shortages, according to information from the Reuters agency released on Tuesday (24).

The alert sounds particularly for the third quarter, when the transport of soybeans, the main Brazilian commodity, reaches its peak and demands more fuel.

The shortage of diesel has been felt around the world and was especially exacerbated by the War in Ukraine.

The statement comes on the heels of a series of changes involving the state-owned company. The federal government announced, on the night of last Monday (23), another change in the presidency of Petrobras — the fourth in two years. Who should assume the position is Caio Mário Paes de Andrade, replacing José Mauro Coelho, appointed last April 6th.

According to experts, the possibility of diesel shortages may incite a politically biased response in an election year, also strengthened by the choice of the state-owned company’s new president.

The government, in the face of all this scenario, seeks to convey the message that it is making efforts to combat the rise in prices, even though it knows that these changes will not result in price reductions for the consumer.

The most that can happen, according to market analysts, is that the increases are more spaced out. In practice, what the consumer will feel at the end is that prices will remain expensive.

If prices do not follow the same speed as the international market, parity defended by the state-owned company’s rules, there are two possible paths.

The first is the interpretation that the government is going all-or-nothing. Changing Petrobras’ bylaws and management brings gigantic problems, as we have seen in past administrations. The second possible path is that government pressure is not accepted by directors, who may eventually resign, as has also happened before.

* Under supervision of Ana Carolina Nunes