President and Finance Minister criticized the price of gasoline and diesel before taking office
The president (PT) and the Minister of Finance, (PT), made public criticisms of Brazil in 2021 and 2022, when they were outside the federal government. The statements were made during the increase in the price of gasoline and diesel during that period.
The increase was linked to the appreciation of oil on the international market and the price policy of Petrobras.
During the 2022 presidential campaign, Lula held the federal government responsible for the rise in fuel prices and stated that the price directly affected consumers and workers.
“Those who can no longer cook because of the price of gas, those who cannot drive because of the price of gasoline or the truck driver who suffers from the price of diesel need to understand that the responsibility lies with the president”said the then candidate in a publication in X.
During that period, Lula also criticized Petrobras’ pricing policy based on parity with the international market. According to him, Brazil should not automatically follow external oil prices.
Adjustments in 2022
The statements were made in the context of adjustments announced by Petrobras in 2022. In March of that year, the state-owned company raised the price of gasoline by 18.7% and that of diesel by 24.9%, after the appreciation of oil on the international market.
Haddad also criticized the price of gasoline before taking over the Ministry of Finance. In August 2021, he published a message on social media about the rise in fuel prices.
“By my calculations, the price of gasoline alone would be enough for two impeachments”wrote on X.
At the time, Haddad was the former mayor of São Paulo and commented on the increase in fuel prices during the (PL) government.
Debate returned in 2026
The debate on fuel prices returned to the center of discussions in the Lula government in 2026. On Thursday (12.mar.2026) the government published the Provisional Measure 1,340 of 2026which .
The measure was defended by Ministry of Finance as a way of capturing additional gains from oil companies in the face of the global rise in oil prices and helping to contain the price of diesel in the country.
Haddad stated that the charge will be temporary and may be reviewed. “We understand that just as the consumer cannot be harmed by war, the producer cannot be benefited by war”he said in an interview with journalists when announcing the measure.
Large companies in the sector that operate in Brazil, such as Shell, TotalEnergies, PetroRio e Repsolprepare legal actions against the new tax. The companies claim that the charge violates the principle of tax annuality, according to which new taxes or tax increases can only be charged in the following financial year.
Petrobras does not participate in the group of companies that intend to go to court and support the creation of the tax. The state-owned company follows the position of the federal government, which defends the measure as part of the policy to reduce pressure on fuel prices in the country.
