Amid Threat of Truckers’ Strike, Federal Government Comments on New Price Hike for Fuels

President Jair Messias Bolsonaro, alongside Guedes, commented on a possible new increase in fuel prices and stated he is discussing solutions with Petrobras

Despite the exorbitant fuel prices – gasoline reached an average value of R$ 6.321 in recent days – President Jair Bolsonaro (Without Party) said this Sunday (24) after leaving an event with Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, that Brazilians will have to pay even more starting today (25). Industries around Brazil fear a new truck drivers’ strike in November.

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Federal Government Struggles for Acceptance of Diesel Assistance for Truck Drivers

Due to oil prices abroad and the rising dollar here, in the coming days, starting this Monday (25), we will have new adjustments in fuel prices. In an increasingly complicated situation and now held hostage by a possible truck drivers’ strike, who were previously their allies, the Federal Government stated that it will pay a kind of d diesel assistance for at least 750,000 autonomous truck drivers.

Initially, the amount of assistance offered by the Federal Government will be R$ 400 per month, which did not please the category. With the promised increase in fuel prices starting today (Monday), truck drivers are likely to become more dissatisfied, reaffirming the possibility of a new strike in November.

The president stated that, anticipating the fuel price increase, a lot of discussion was held regarding assistance for truck drivers. The government understands that R$ 400 per month is little; however, this is being done at the limit of fiscal responsibility.

“Some want us to interfere with prices. We will not interfere with the price of anything. It has been done in the past, and it did not work. Unfortunately, due to the price of oil abroad and the dollar here, in the coming days, starting tomorrow, unfortunately, we will have increases in fuel prices,” he declared.

Federal Government Seeks a Solution Alongside Petrobras

Bolsonaro stated that he is discussing a solution with Petrobras, as he cannot interfere with the actions of the state-owned company. The Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, in turn, considered the oil company “a poison that can be a vaccine” if the monopoly of state-owned companies is broken in the country.

According to Guedes, every time oil prices increase, fuel prices also rise, and the oil company performs better. “If it is possible to take Petrobras to a new market, as is happening with Eletrobras, there is no doubt that problems like water crisis, truck drivers’ strike, fuel crisis, all of these were state monopolies for up to 40 years,” he declared.

Possible Truck Drivers’ Strike on November 1

Last week, entities representing truck drivers issued a 15-day deadline for the Federal Government to meet the demands of the category, such as the enforcement of a minimum freight rate, review of pricing policies, among others.

If the category is not attended, the drivers intend to carry out a new truck drivers’ strike. The entities are linked to the autonomous drivers who participated in the truck drivers’ strike of 2018.

According to Carlos Alberto Litti Dahmer, director of CNTTL, the drivers are facing unprecedented difficulties and emphasized that the situation has been worsening over the last three years since the presidential elections.