A Datafolha survey last Tuesday showed that 87% of Brazilians support the ongoing teamster strike despite at least half the respondents  being personally affected themselves. But analysts believe that this has more to do with rejection of the Michel Temer administration than actual sympathy for the road-blocks.

Hundreds of people were buying fuel at the few service stations still running while Brazilian soldiers mounted guard to protect the tanker trucks arriving at Brasilia Airport.
Only 10% expressed a negative opinion of the stoppage while 96% rejected Temer’s handling of the problem, as well as his proposal of higher taxes to fund the subsidies to freeze fuel prices for the next two months. Opinions were more divided over the strike’s continuity with 56% in favour and 42% saying it should end..
Until now car-drivers have obtained their petrol from caravans of tanker trucks protected by security forces, a real challenge in a metropolis like Sao Paulo with 22 million people.

Meanwhile Petrobras is hiking the cost of diesel daily in accordance with world oil prices and the devaluation of the real.
Fuel prices have risen 50% in the last year and are thus out of joint with other prices since inlfation is less than 4% in Brazil.