Brazil’s Bolsonaro complains about gas prices as inflation soars
Al Jazeera
Seven out of 10 Brazilians blame the government of President Jair Bolsonaro for their loss of purchasing power, according to a recent Datafolha poll.
Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro is putting pressure on governors and lawmakers to reduce taxes on diesel and cooking gas in a bid to rein in rising energy prices that are hurting his popularity.
“There is no reason for cooking gas to cost 50 reais ($9.21) at the refinery and then be sold to consumers for 130 reais,” he said on Wednesday in an event in the northern state of Roraima.
Inflation, running at an annual rate of more than 10%, has become one of Bolsonaro’s biggest headaches. Seven out of 10 Brazilians blame his government for their loss of purchasing power, according to a Datafolha poll carried out between Sept. 13-15. Another survey by Modalmais and Futura Inteligencia on Wednesday showed the president losing next year’s elections to leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by a growing margin.
