Gasoline and Diesel Prices Rise Up to 5%, Straining Cushioning Measures

Gasoline and diesel prices rose up to 5% in recent days at most service stations across the country. Premium gasoline now exceeds $2,200 per liter at many pumps.

The movement occurs amid sustained oil market volatility, with crude values holding for several months between $80 and $100 per barrel, with higher readings at certain points.

Facing this scenario, fuel distribution companies are encountering greater difficulty maintaining domestic prices without significantly passing along their rising costs. The margin designated to cushion the impact of international crude quotations has begun to narrow.

The final retail price still partially contains the effect of a tax increase that the Government has been postponing for months. Once implemented, that adjustment would add more than $200 per liter to the cost consumers face.