Bolsonaro wants Petrobras reserve to finance bottled gas vouchers for low-income families

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro said that Petrobras has a reserve of R$3 billion to finance a voucher gas program that would allow purchasing gas cylinders for the needy population.

“The new president of Petrobras, (Joaquim) Silva e Luna, has a reserve of R$3 billion (US$577 million) to really help the neediest. It would be the equivalent of a bottle of gas every two months,” the president said in an interview with the Programa do Ratinho (SBT) channel on Friday night, 30.

Bolsonaro again blamed state taxes for the high price of gas bottles in the country. “I set the federal tax (on cooking gas) to zero. There is no federal tax, the gas costs R$45 where it is bottled. The rest is a problem of ICMS (tax on operations), the profit margin of those who sell and freight, “he said.

Last Monday, May 26, in an interview with Arapuan Radio from Paraíba, the president said that the price of the gas cylinder for the end consumer should be no more than R$ 70.

Related coverage: Cement producers make offers for LafargeHolcim's assets in Brazil · Brazil closes July with lowest weekly average of Covid cases of the year (July 31) · Dealing with polarized political positions is one of Brazil's biggest challenges – survey · Amid historic water crisis, Brazil wastes the energy of the Itaipu power plant per day

More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error