Brazilian authorities make headway clearing pro-Bolsonaro blockades (updated)

Anpario

02/11/2022 21:53

(Updates with fresh PRF data on blockades, ANP and Abear
statements)
    By Ana Mano
       SAO PAULO, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Brazilian authorities said
on Wednesday they are making headway in their efforts to clear
blockades set up across the country by truckers to protest
President Jair Bolsonaro's narrow loss to leftist Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva in an Oct. 30 runoff election.
    Brazil's Federal Highway Police (PRF) said protesters were
blocking highways partially or fully in 146 locations as of
early Wednesday evening, down from around 190 the previous
night. The blockades began Sunday after polls closed in Brazil. 
    Although smaller than in previous days, the protests are
still likely disrupting fuel distribution, industrial activity,
food deliveries to supermarkets and shipments of grains to
ports.
    Anvisa, the national health agency, warned that the
blockades could lead to shortages of medical supplies. 
    ANP, the oil regulator, changed rules related to minimum
fuel storage requirements on distribution sites and relaxed
cooking gas bottling requirements in a bid to prevent potential
energy shortages.
        Abear, a trade group which represents Brazilian
airlines, warned that the jet fuel supplies may be compromised.
  
        "Authorities must urgently lift blockades and roads
giving access to airports," said Eduardo Sanovicz, head of
Abear.
  
    Police said 688 roadblocks had been cleared across the
country, though roads remained blocked or partially blocked in
17 of Brazil's 26 states, most notably in farm states like Santa
Catarina and Mato Grosso, where Bolsonaro has strong popular
support.
    A right-wing nationalist, Bolsonaro has not conceded defeat
but has stopped short of contesting the election result and has
authorized his chief of staff to begin the transition process
with Lula's representatives.
    In remarks on Tuesday, the Brazilian president said the
protests resulted from "indignation and a sense of injustice"
over the vote, and he did not explicitly ask his supporters to
take down the blockades or stop the protests.
    The Justice Ministry on Wednesday said more than 900 fines
had been issued against drivers who are participating in the
protests and using vehicles to block roads.
    Truckers, a key Bolsonaro constituency that benefited from
his policies to lower fuel prices, have disrupted the Brazilian
economy by shutting highways in recent years.
    Some of the protesters have called for military intervention
to keep Bolsonaro in power.
 (Reporting by Ana Mano in Sao Paulo; Marta Nogueira and Rodrigo
Viga Gaier in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Paul Simao and Aurora
Ellis)
 ((ana.mano@thomsonreuters.com; Tel: +55-11-5644-7704; Mob:
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