Last year, Brazil saw a dramatic rise in diesel imports from Russia, with the value of those purchases expanding by 46 times over the previous year to reach 4.5 billion dollars, according to Finance Times citing Brazilian government data.
Government figures also show fuel purchases climbing 400 percent to 5.3 billion dollars. In 2023, Brazil imported 6.1 million tons of diesel from the Russian Federation, compared with 101 thousand tons the year before. The result was that Russia surpassed the United States, placing Brazil as the leading destination for this category of fuel, as reported by the publication.
Oliver Stünkel, a professor of international relations at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, explained that the jump in volumes is linked to Russia’s energy resources being available at discounts in the context of Western sanctions. He noted that the movement of goods did not breach sanctions, according to the report.
Officials asserted that the rise in imports helped keep fuel prices lower for consumers. Critics, however, argued that the country showed unusual tolerance toward the Russian Federation amid the Ukraine crisis.
Diesel imports matter greatly for Brazil, where roughly 60 percent of road goods travel relies on diesel-powered transport. Authorities have emphasized the need to maintain steady supply lines for diesel, even amid a challenging geopolitical backdrop, the piece indicates.
Earlier reporting indicated that Russia’s shipments to Brazil had reached record levels.
Earlier still, Russia was cited as a top supplier of petroleum products to Indonesia, highlighting a broader pattern of trade ties extending beyond South America.