Bolsonaro says Petrobras can “break Brazil” for diesel increases

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro said on Monday, May 30, that Petrobras can “break Brazil” if there are new diesel increases and attacked governors for questioning the ICMS reduction approved by the House.

“It is a crime to charge R$1 (US$0.21) of ICMS per liter of diesel oil,” Bolsonaro said during a press conference scheduled to address the actions of the federal government in aid of victims of floods that killed dozens of people in Pernambuco state.

The president said that the governors want to cash in on ICMS even though they already have resources.

“As I warned last month, Petrobras can break Brazil with this,” followed the president.

According to Bolsonaro, the federal government is trying to find legal ways, “without interfering”, to lower fuel prices.

Last week, the government announced another change in the presidency of Petrobras, the third in three years, in another attempt to control the increase in fuel prices.

With information from Reuters

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