Threat: criminal gang orders gasoline price reduction in Manaus within a week

Priscilla Peixoto – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – Social networks were “bombarded”, this week, with several publications on an alleged threat made by criminal organizations to gas stations in Manaus. In the message that echoed not only in networks, but also in national press vehicles, the faction sets a deadline of one week for the owners of these establishments to reduce the value of gasoline sold in the city.

“The Command asks the rascals of the gas station cartels to lower the price of gasoline. We are giving them one week, we are on the side of our brothers who are being harmed. If they don’t [comply with the order], we will put the train on the street and set gas stations and trucks on fire”, states the criminal group in the message.

Repercussion and positioning

On the Internet, there are several comments on the subject, with publications criticizing the federal government. “The problem is in Brasilia”, “More effective than the federal government” and “This news needs to be in the history books to frame this government” are some of the opinions that integrate the extensive list of messages from Internet users about the threats of the gang.

CENARIUM asked the Secretary of Public Security (SSP-AM) about the veracity of the threats and if there is any work to strengthen security around the city’s supply points. In a statement, the SSP said that, for now, will not comment on the matter.

The Retail Trade Union of Petroleum Derivatives, Lubricants, Alcohol, and Natural Gas of the State of Amazonas (Sindicombustíveis) reported that “there is no positioning, given that so far no veracity has been confirmed”. The union believes that the alleged message is fake news.

Constant increases

This year alone, it is the 11th time that the price of gasoline has increased, accumulating a 73% increase. The liter goes from R$ 2.98 to R$ 3.19 at the refineries. In Manaus, the final price paid by the consumer is R$ 6.59. According to the Broad National Consumer Price Index (INPC), gasoline is the product that had the most price increases in 2021.

Among the various reasons alleged for the constant product increases, the Bolsonaro government claims that the Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS) is the main “culprit” for the constant increases. In a recent interview with the UOL website, Carla Ferreira, a researcher at the Institute for Strategic Studies of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (Ineep), linked to the Single Petroleum Workers Federation (FUP), said that the adjustments that bother and weigh on the consumer’s pocket are consequences of Petrobras’ pricing policy, adopted in 2016.

She explained that with the dollar on the rise, prices in Brazil also rise. “Of course, as the ICMS is a percentage on the final price, when the price goes up, the collection increases. But it is not the villain of the increases now. The big question is this price that comes out of the refinery, which comes from the import parity policy”, explained Ferreira.

Attacks

In the first weekend of June this year, Manaus suffered a wave of attacks triggered by the death of a drug dealer known as “Dadinho”, belonging to a criminal group. At the time, the information was confirmed by the Public Safety Secretary of Amazonas at the time, Colonel Louismar Bonates, who also stated that the order for the attacks came from inside a prison.

In the interior of the state, criminals tried to set fire to police stations in the cities of Careiro Castanho and Parintins. Seventeen vehicles, seven of them buses, were set on fire. Nobody was injured in the actions, but an ambulance was attacked by criminals and the occupants were robbed.

At the time, the Union of Passenger Transport Companies of the State of Amazonas (Sinetram) released a note of repudiation against what happened. Because of the scenario, the public transport service was interrupted.

“The violence of the actions, apparently terrorist in nature, caused panic in service operators, because there are reports of hooded and armed groups practicing such acts, and therefore the entire fleet was collected. Acts of this nature, in addition to being crimes of damage and civil offenses, aim to spread fear and make essential service unviable”, said an excerpt from the publication.