The country stopped imports from the region and began purchasing 81% of its fuel from Russian suppliers in March and April
Brazil has greatly increased its purchases of diesel from Russia since the start of the war in the Middle East, after the suspension of imports from the region. Data from the system, from the (Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services), shows that Russia and the United States have become leaders in fuel supply to the country in recent months.
In March and April, Brazil imported US$1.76 billion in diesel. Of this total, US$1.43 billion originated in Russia, equivalent to 81.25% of foreign purchases of the product. The United States appears in 2nd position, with US$ 112.92 million, or 6.42% of the total.
In April alone, dependence on Russian diesel increased further. The country purchased US$924 million of fuel from Russia, which corresponded to 89.84% of imports in the month. The United States accounted for 10.98% of purchases, while the United Kingdom had a residual share.
Main numbers:
- US$ 1.76 billion in diesel imported in March and April
- 81.25% of the total came from Russia
- US$924 million imported from Russia in April alone
- 89.84% Russian share in April purchases
Before the conflict, Brazil still maintained part of its imports from the Middle East. In March, the country received shipments sent before the war escalated, including purchases from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The numbers show a rapid escalation in Russian purchases. In February, Brazil imported US$433.22 million worth of diesel from Russia. The value rose to US$505.86 million in March and approached US$1 billion in April.
MEASUREMENTS
To contain the impacts of rising diesel prices on consumers and transporters, the federal government announced a series of compensation measures.
In March, a provisional measure released R$10 billion in subsidies for importing and selling the fuel. At the same time, a decree signed by the president (PT) zeroed the PIS and Cofins rates on diesel.
According to the government, the tax relief should reduce the price by R$0.32 per liter at refineries. The additional subsidy for producers and importers could generate a further drop of R$0.32 per liter.
The economic team claims that the loss of revenue was compensated by the increase in revenue from oil royalties, driven by the international appreciation of the barrel.
ICMS CUT
In April, the federal government launched a program to encourage states to reduce ICMS on imported diesel. The cost of the measure is shared between the Union and state governments.
The estimated reduction is R$1.20 per liter at the pumps, with a total cost of R$4 billion in 2 months. Only Rondônia did not adhere to the agreement.
The government also announced an extra subsidy of R$0.80 per liter for diesel produced in Brazil, with an estimated impact of R$3 billion per month.
Benefiting companies will need to prove that the reduction has been passed on to the end consumer.
This text was originally published by Agência Brasil, on May 11, 2026. The content is free for republication, citing the source, and was adapted to the standard of Poder360.
