José Carlos Hauly states that Brazil is self-sufficient in oil and criticizes rising prices despite national production
The deputy (Podemos-PR) criticized this Monday (16.mar.2026) the company’s pricing policy and stated that the government could avoid increases in fuel prices on the domestic market. According to him, Brazil produces more oil than it consumes and, therefore, should not follow fluctuations in the international market.
“Brazil produces around 50% more than it consumes and exports the surplus. It doesn’t make sense for Brazilians to pay for fuel as if they were dependent on oil from the Middle East. This shows that the government doesn’t know how to work with the power it has, it doesn’t know, it’s inept”Hauly told Poder360.
On Friday (13 March) the state-owned company announced an increase of R$ 0.38 per liter of diesel for distributors. The announcement came one day after the federal government a package of R$30 billion for the rise in oil prices.
Brazil’s oil production grew 13.3% in 2025, with a daily average of 4.9 million barrels. According to the portal Brazil’s annual consumption in 2024 was 3.2 million barrels per day. For him, this shows that Brazil is self-sufficient and would give the state-owned company room to maintain lower prices on the domestic market.
Hauly stated that the president’s government (PT) has “interference” on energy policy. According to the congressman, as Petrobras is controlled by the Union, the Executive would be able to guide the company to avoid readjustments.
“If the company is state-owned and the management is appointed by the government, there is no reason to automatically follow the international market. I’m not talking about intervention, it’s just that Petrobras doesn’t increase, it has immense fat”, he stated.
This digital newspaper contacted Petrobras and Secom (Secretariat of Social Communication) of the federal government, by email. There was no response until the publication of this text, which will be updated if there is.
Even so, members of the federal government that the state-owned company’s pricing policy is not influenced by the federal government. Petrobras’ pricing policy is a sensitive topic for the federal government because fuels have a relevant weight in inflation and, as a consequence, in the Executive leader’s assessment.
Any adjustments may influence indicators such as the IPCA (Broad National Consumer Price Index), used as a reference for the country’s inflation target.
