Bolsonaro: Petrobras risks Brazil chaos by raising fuel prices

Bloomberg

President Jair Bolsonaro criticized an expected increase in domestic fuel prices by Petroleo Brasileiro SA, saying the state-owned oil producer has made exaggerated profits during the crisis, without taking into account Brazil’s “public interest.”
“Petrobras may plunge Brazil into chaos,” Bolsonaro said in a Twitter post early Friday, referring to the oil giant. “Its chief executive, directors and board members know very well what happened when truckers went on strike in 2018, with the nefarious consequences for Brazil’s economy and the life of our people.”
A nationwide stoppage by truck drivers such as the one that paralyzed Brazil during the Michel Temer administration is a nightmare scenario for Bolsonaro, who’s trailing former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in opinion polls less than four months ahead of elections. A growing number of Brazilians already blame the incumbent for the country’s economic problems, according to the polls.
During a live social media broadcast Thursday, Bolsonaro said that any increase in fuel prices at this moment would be politically motivated and that he expected Petrobras to delay its decision until next week, when congress is expected to vote on a series of proposals to lower or eliminate fuel taxes. He also said the government is trying to replace the company’s chief executive and some board members by the end of next week.