Brazilians face a line of up to 4 hours for cheaper gasoline in Argentina.
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| [Brazilians face line of up to 4 hours for cheaper gasoline in Argentina, Photo: UOL] |
On the Argentina side of the Foz do Iguaçu border, near Puerto Iguaz, Brazilians wait up to four hours in gas station lines to save money. Residents are suffering from a scarcity of gasoline as a result of the relocation. Gasoline and diesel supplies have been decreasing since the rise in oil production, and the city's five gas stations have been struggling to keep up with demand. Even though they must wait and pay more than Argentines, Brazilians still cross the border to refuel. Foreigners pay extra for gas in Puerto Iguaz. Brazil and Paraguay spend between $6.65 to $6.82 depending on the currency rate for one litre of gasoline with additives, compared to roughly $5.17 in Argentina. Fuel additives in Foz do Iguaçu cost an average of R$ 7.30 per litre and as much as R$ 7.49. Foreigners in Puerto Iguaz are restricted to using additive gasoline, which is more costly, by the regulations of the filling stations.
Drivers in Brazil are nevertheless subject to additional rules and regulations. In order to comply with station schedules, they are limited to filling up to 40 litres each tank. During weekdays, the pumps are only open from 12:00 to 18:00, and from 23:00 to 6:00 on weekends and public holidays. Argentina has a distinct queue for Argentinians and foreigners at petrol stations, and some companies refuse to serve Brazilians. Workers' compensation in the transportation industry In the year 2022 - March 21 Angelo Pereira, a Brazilian mototaxi driver, visits Argentina's Puerto Iguaz every two days to refuel. Image by Denise Paro/UOL Some drivers find that crossing the border is still worth it, despite the hassles. It takes Angelo Pereira two days to fill up his motorbike taxi's tank in Puerto Iguaz. He and his wife, an app driver, are completely reliant on the money they earn from selling their car's gasoline. As a result, the price difference compensates for the discrepancy. "We don't earn a profit if we deal with Brazilian petrol," he argues. According to Pereira, the distance between Foz do Iguaçu and Puerto Iguaz is 30 kilometres round trip.
Hiago Afonso, a Brazilian studying medicine in Paraguay, makes the trip to Puerto Iguaz once a week despite the two- to four-hour wait. He claims he fills up his vehicle in Brazil for around R$400. R$ 247 is the price in Argentina. When he's on vacation, Afonso occasionally buys beef for a fraction of the amount he pays back home.
Not just Brazilians have to wait in line to refuel. Gas stations in Argentina often run out of gas, resulting in long waits for customers. It's not uncommon for local Miguel Valverde to wait in line for four hours at tourist attractions in Puerto Iguaz. According to Valverde, the influx of Brazilians into the city has a positive economic impact and is thus welcomed.