Sector states that delays in transfers create insecurity for new imports and may explain low adherence to the program
For more than 60 days, the federal government has not paid the diesel subsidy created to compensate importers and producers during the rise in fuel prices. This is what the executive president of the (Brazilian Association of Fuel Importers), Sergio Araújo, says. The deadline for payment of the last April calculation period, stipulated by the government, expired last Friday (May 29, 2026), but there were no transfers.
According to the schedule established by the government, the subsidy for the 1st calculation period, from March 12th to 31st, should have been paid by April 30th. The amounts relating to the 3 periods in April should have been paid by May 29th, the last business day of the following month.
“We are talking about a delay of more than 60 days, which creates great insecurity in carrying out new import operations”, said Araújo to Poder360.
The diesel subsidy was created by , published in March, to reduce the price of fuel on the domestic market during the rise in oil prices.
Initially, the benefit provided for compensation of R$0.32 per liter for producers and importers of diesel oil. Afterwards, the government published the 2026 and 2026 regulations, which created the Reaic (Special Internal Fuel Supply Regime).
The new regime established an additional subsidy of R$1.20 per liter for diesel importers. On Sunday (May 31), the government extended measures to contain fuel prices until July 31.
Abicom represents fuel importers in Brazil. On May 20, the association went to the Chamber of Deputies to participate in a public hearing at the Mines and Energy Commission on the economic and fiscal impacts of provisional measures and decrees related to subsidies to the fuel sector.
In its presentation, the entity stated that, in 69 days, the sector had been impacted by 3 provisional measures, 8 decrees and 4 resolutions from the (National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency), but that no payment of the subsidy had been made until that moment.
“Maybe this is even the reason for the low adherence”, stated the president of the association.
So far, 16 companies have adhered to the diesel subsidy provided for in MP 1,340 and 8 are qualified to request the subsidy under MP 1,349, including Petrobras and Vibra. There are, however, relevant distributors and importers in the sector that were left out, such as Ipiranga and Raízen.
The ANP was approached by the Poder360 to inform the reason for the delay. There was no response until the publication of this report. The text will be updated if a statement is sent to this digital newspaper. The justification for the first delay in payment, back in April, was that the agency was waiting to formalize a partnership with the Federal Revenue Service to share information.
