Motorcycle taxi drivers demonstrate in parallel against fuel increase

A demonstration promoted by motorbike taxi drivers blocked the main and marginal roads on Avenida Parallella, towards the centre, near the Narandipa Bridge, late Tuesday afternoon (26), causing a traffic jam. The protest was dispersed and traffic was cleared around 6:30 p.m., according to Transalvador.

According to the Bahia State Motorcycle Professional Taxi Association (ASMOB), the movement was prompted by an increase in fuel prices announced by Petrobras the day before. The liter of gasoline the company sells to distributors will rise from R$2.98 to R$3.19, which represents an increase of R$0.21 or about 7%.

Petrobras stated that the portion of gasoline sold at refineries at the final price of the product found at service stations will reach R$2.33, an increase of R$0.15. The difference is less than the R$ 0.21 adjustment in refineries because gasoline has a mandatory blend of 27% anhydrous ethanol.

A liter of diesel will now be sold for R$3.34 at Petrobras refineries, which is about 9% more than the current average price of R$3.06. In the case of diesel, Petrobras calculates that the impact on the final consumer is an increase of R$0.24, because diesel sold at gas stations has a mandatory biofuel blend of 12%.

According to Asmob, motorcycle taxi drivers are organizing a new protest, but no date has been set for the demonstration yet.