Privatization of Petrobras refinery suspended in Minas Gerais.
Petrobras has announced that it has decided to terminate the process, as the acquisition proposal presented falls short of the economic and financial valuation.
Amelia Gomes, Brazil of Fact Belo Horizonte (MG) Last week, Petrobras officially announced that it has suspended the sale of the Gabriel Passos Refinery (Regap) in Betim, in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte. In the statement, the company informs that it decided to terminate the process, since the acquisition proposal presented falls short of the economic and financial evaluation.
Alexandre Finamori, general coordinator of the Oil Workers Union of Minas Gerais (Sindipetro), celebrates the decision and attributes the achievement to the struggles waged against the handover of assets. "For us, it's an announcement of the victory of the popular struggle, of the resistance of the workers and the people of Minas Gerais who also defended Petrobras," he rejoices.
In 2019, with Jair Bolsonaro's (PL) privatization plan, the unit was put up for sale, along with seven other refineries. Finamori explains that the decision was a deepening of a national plan, underway since the 2016 presidential coup, to hand over and dismantle the state-owned company. "Temer, as soon as he took office, ended Petrobras's sole operation in the pre-salt layer, put biofuel plants on hold, and began putting refineries up for sale," he recalls.
From then on, actions, strikes, and campaigns, such as "Petrobras stays in Minas," were organized by oil workers in defense of Regap and the state-owned company. In addition, the category also organized, especially during the worsening of the Covid-19 pandemic, solidarity actions, such as the sale of gas cylinders at a fair price, to engage with society about the importance of the refinery and the adoption of a sovereign policy within Petrobras.
What was at stake?
Although Regap escaped Bolsonaro's control, units like the Mataripe refinery, formerly the Landulpho Alves Refinery (RLAM), in Bahia, were privatized. Under private management, the refinery currently sells the most expensive fuel in the country. The same could happen in Minas Gerais, since the state is dependent on Regap for its fuel supply.
Furthermore, the sale of the unit would also dismantle the organized production chain around it, which would involve approximately 10 direct and indirect workers.
The safety and health of residents living near the plant were also under threat. Having been neglected for years in preparation for its sale, Regap had even faced accidents caused by a reduction in the unit's workforce. At the time, Finamori warned that, with the sale, the refinery would become a ticking time bomb.
New winds
In its statement announcing the withdrawal from the sale, Petrobras – still under management appointed by Bolsonaro – states that it may resume the process at another time. However, union leader Alexandre Finamori believes that this will not be the case, since handing over the assets to the private sector is not compatible with the country's current situation.
“The Lula government has a different vision regarding public services and Petrobras, and therefore we expect it to be a management focused on job creation at the state-owned company, increasing the refining agreement, investing in the pre-salt reserves, and developing national technology. We will continue to monitor and demand a fairer Petrobras, one that is more focused on the interests of the population,” assures the oil worker.
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