The federal government announced new measures on Tuesday (14) to mitigate the impacts of the fuel price hike caused by the war in the Middle East. In a press conference, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, informed that the Union will expand emergency actions and structure a plan to reduce external dependence on diesel. According to the minister, the government is working on a strategy to make Brazil self-sufficient in diesel oil production. Currently, the country still depends on imports for about 30% of domestic consumption, according to data from the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP). Silveira stated that, despite the structural dependence, supply is guaranteed in the short term. “The supply of diesel for the next 60 days is 25% above demand. Supply is guaranteed,” he said. In addition to the measures aimed at diesel, the government announced an increase of R$ 300 million in the budget of the Gás do Povo program, aimed at low-income families. With this reinforcement, retailers will be able to receive up to an additional R$10 per gas cylinder in certain states. The expectation is to expand the participation of distributors in the program, serving municipalities not yet covered.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.