Brazil industrial gas costs 5x neighbors, Usiminas CEO says

Usiminas CEO Marcelo Chara highlights that Brazilian industry pays US$15 per million BTU for natural gas versus US$3-4 in neighboring countries, citing a severe competitiveness gap. The claim is a single executive's assertion, not corroborated by official data, but aligns with known structural issues in Brazil's gas market. This matters because high energy costs undermine Brazilian manufacturing competitiveness and could pressure policy changes.