Former President Lula, who is also expected to run for the 2022 presidential elections, expressed himself on Twitter about changing gasoline prices, practiced by Petrobras.

Lula used his official account on the social network to say that gasoline prices will not be dollarized, as is practiced today by the Petrobras. In the post, he said that in a possible government, “I cannot enrich the shareholder and impoverish the housewife”, posted the former president.

See also other features

• After a new increase in the price of gasoline and diesel by Petrobras, state secretaries decide to end the ICMS freeze on fuel and the consumer has nowhere to run
• The rise in the price of a barrel of oil and the dollar makes Brazil break a record and distribute R$ 37,6 billion in royalties and R$ 36,8 billion in special participation to states, municipalities and the Union
• Gasoline and diesel prices could plummet and be up to R$ 3,00 cheaper if the Senate and Congress create a fund with profits obtained by the government with the rise in the dollar and oil to subsidize fuel readjustments

The petista has not yet made his pre-candidacy for the presidency of the Republic official, but the speech about intervening in the gasoline price policy is further proof that he will be present in the dispute for the command of the Planalto Palace at the end of the year.

Even fuel prices in general have been a constant topic of discussions in the political field in Brazil this year. The common highs at gas stations, especially for gasoline, diesel and cooking gas, have caused inflation to skyrocket, causing a decrease in purchasing conditions for Brazilian families.

Along these lines, Lula complemented his post about gasoline prices and that the dollar will not be a parameter for Petrobras to practice its prices.

“We are not going to maintain the dollarized price of gasoline. It is important that the shareholder receives his dividends when Petrobras makes a profit, but I cannot enrich the shareholder and impoverish the housewife who goes to buy a kilo of beans and pays more because of gasoline”, said the PT.

Impacts of gasoline prices and other fuels in the Planalto Palace

The Federal Government is in a hurry to find a solution that reduces the negative impacts that the rise in fuel prices has attracted to the image of the administration of Jair Bolsonaro. The year is an election and the pace is already pre-candidacy.

But Petrobras has stated that it only practices international prices. Once oil is on the rise, the price of gasoline and other derivatives also rises.

Petrobras also alleges that political interference in fuel prices could lead to a breakdown of the company. And this has already happened in previous governments.

This week, the executive director of Institutional Relations and Sustainability at Petrobras, Rafael Chaves, was called by Jair Bolsonaro to give a speech during the ceremony that marked the beginning of the operational tests of the Polo GasLub in the old Comperj.

At the time, Chaves strongly attacked the PT and praised the current Federal Government. “I will not fail to give my testimony of the mismanagement and corruption that was installed in this company during the PT management era. Here on our uniform it says 'protection against fire and electric shock', we had to OK written down here 'protection against corruption' that was practiced at that time”, he said, pointing to his uniform.

Petrobras pricing policy X public policies

Also this Thursday, when Lula manifested himself on social networks about the policy of pricing gasoline using the dollar, the president of Petrobras, Joaquim Silva e Luna – who was participating in a virtual event at the Credit Suisse bank – stated that the company has been trying to make it clear that it cannot hold back fuel prices.

“(Petrobras) works based on legality, it has to practice market prices”, declared Joaquim Silva e Luna. Still according to the president of the state-owned company, the company must follow the law of state-owned companies, corporations and also its bylaws.

Efforts and attempts to enlighten the National Congress and society in general have been great. All to say that it is not possible to freeze fuel prices.

“We know how damaging it is to try to hold prices artificially. First, we are going to lose a lot of investments, making imports difficult”, declared the president of Petrobras.

Silva e Luna declared that the company does have social responsibility, but added that “it cannot make public policies”. According to the president, Petrobras' contribution is to deliver financial results to its shareholders, the largest being the Union, and also by collecting taxes from the public coffers.