The policy of reducing Petrobras' investments in the region would have a negative impact on more than 8 jobs.

The recent statements made by the president of Petrobras, Roberto Castello Branco, to a group of businessmen in Rio de Janeiro, assuring that Until 2020, the company will concentrate oil and natural gas exploration and production activities in the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Espírito Santo reverberated in Rio Grande do Norte, one of the states that produced the most oil nationally.

With an investment focus of US$ 54 billion in the next years for the 3 states, the company state confirmed the policy initiated in 2015, and accelerated with the Temer Government, in 2017, leaving Rio Grande do Norte, including ratification for the recent sale of Campos de Macau to private companies.

This policy also translates into exploration figures in the state, which went from 60 barrels per day in 2015 to 38 in three years, according to the National Petroleum Agency (ANP).

For Senator Jean Paul Prates, the focus on pre-salt operations is an error against the sovereignty of the company and against the State.

In RN, Petrobras was already responsible for 51% of the industrial GDP, according to Pedro Lúcio, secretary general of Sindipetro, the departure of the oil company from the State would pose a threat to the approximately 8.400 jobs that the company manages, 1740 of which own and 6.700 outsourced.

In addition, the company manages royalties and municipal and state tax collections, which will also be threatened by the exit policy.

Pedro Góis demands from the State Government: “Not long ago, Fátima Bezerra went to the president of the company and he made a commitment to invest 700 million reais, in 2019, in the RN. How is the State Government going to behave now?”, he asks.

A debate on the strategic importance of Petrobras for Brazil's regional development marked the launch of the Joint Parliamentary Front in Defense of Petrobras on August 9 in Rio Grande do Norte.

The strategy is to mobilize society in defense of Petrobras. In addition to the parliamentarians, the Front includes trade unionists, representatives of class entities, such as the OAB and organized civil society.

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