Truck drivers transporting fuel from Minas Gerais started a strike yesterday (25/02) in protest against the tax rate on diesel oil in the state

Yesterday, truck drivers who transport fuel in Minas Gerais, also known as tankers, announced a strike to protest against the Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS) on diesel oil. In this way, the supply of gas stations in the metropolitan region of the capital, Belo Horizonte, has already suffered the consequences of the stoppage.

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Irani Gomes, president of the Union of Companies Transporting Fuel and Petroleum Derivatives of the State of Minas Gerais (SindTaque), says that “We decided to maintain the stoppage until the government's manifestation. As long as the government does not manifest itself, the decision is to keep everything at a standstill. We have no plans to return.”

Truck drivers asked the government to reduce the ICMS rate on diesel from 15% to 12% in the state. The president of SindTanque also points out that “The main states that are also in the strong fuel chain such as Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and São Paulo have a rate of 12%, lower than what is charged in Minas Gerais. Today we talk a lot about it. Today there are more than 1.500 trucks failing to load and unload fuel and we will not have delivery”.

In a note, the government of the state of Minas Gerais says that “At the moment, due to the financial situation of the state, the Fiscal Responsibility Law requires compensation to increase revenue in any movement of tax waiver, which does not make it possible to reduce the rate . The Finance Department also clarifies that the ICMS corresponds to 31% for gasoline, 16% for ethanol and 15% for diesel, of the total fuel price”.