Brazil’s Petrobras board supports rules for political appointments

By Marta Nogueira

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – The board of Brazil’s state-run oil company Petrobras voted to change its bylaws, the firm said on Monday, which two people with knowledge of the matter said would pave the way for politicians to occupy top positions at the company.

The change, which is subject to shareholder approval, would reverse 2016 rules adopted when Brazil passed a law to curb political appointments at state firms following a huge corruption probe centered around Petrobras.

Brazil’s Supreme Court has yet to rule on that law’s constitutionality, but an injunction issued by one of the court’s judges in March lifted a restriction on the appointment of politicians who recently held office to positions as directors or board members.

In a statement on Monday, Petrobras told investors the bylaw change seeks to address the injunction, and that the firm will only restrict appointments if a law expressly calls for it.

Petrobras shares fell about 5% early Monday afternoon in Sao Paulo.

One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the change would let politicians participate in the “day-to-day running of the company.”