Lavados asks authorities to "take a look at public funds" before cushioning the blow of fuel prices

SANTIAGO.- The minister of Economy, Hugo Lavados, stated today that current high fuel prices are the result of an international scenario and, while he maintained that it is necessary to mitigate the effects, he also said that the nation “must look at public treasury funds first”. 

According to Lavados, “the government has a policy concerning fuel prices, that is why they have asked us to look at what is happening on an international level”, and stated that nations cannot escape the effects.

“It is clearly necessary to mitigate the increases by using the oil stabilization fund and decreasing the excise tax.  We believe that these are the best ways to do it, but it is a government matter because they will have to look at public treasury funds”, Lavados said during a conversation with Radio Agricultura.