Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday the country is in negotiations with Russia and Arab countries to boost diesel supplies for the South American nation. The Brazilian government had said in July it was trying to buy “as much (diesel) as it could” from Russia in an attempt to lower fuel prices and control inflation in the country.
High fuel prices have played a key part in Brazil’s presidential election debate, hurting Bolsonaro’s hopes of re-election ahead of the October vote. Bolsonaro is currently trailing leftist former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the polls. Brazil’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.