The San Tomese Government today admitted the disruption of petrol and domestic oil, justified by the lack of financial resources for new imports in view of the rise in prices on the international market.
© Lusa
06/10/2026
by
Lusa
“ Cmore and more prices are rising (...) and whenever we start the import of fuels, we try to do so sufficiently in advance, but until we get enough money to make the proper import, we are not supplied with fuel”, explained the Minister of Economics and Finance, Gareth Guadalupe.
The ruler spoke at a press conference, justifying the disruption, which according to the population will have begun Thursday.
“ At this moment, finally, we already have the value to import ", assured the minister, predicting that gasoline can arrive in the country in a week.
Gareth Guadalupe stressed that the government has been subsidising prices since the start of the conflict on the international market, avoiding the increase in cost to the population, but this option may not be bearable much longer.
“The state can even subsidize, but cannot grant forever. At some point, we're going to have to go over some of this cost increase to the population. So, if this remains so in international markets, at some point we will have to do so”, he said.
The Minister of Finance places hope in a project to install a photovoltaic power plant that should be completed by the end of the year, with capacity to produce around 11 megawatts of energy, allowing the reduction of the quantity and cost of imported fuel.
On the other hand, the ruler again admitted that the executive has had financial difficulties in paying salaries associated with other commitments.
“ To clarify to our people that when there is a delay in paying wages, it is not because the state has money in the coffers and does not want to pay. It's because the state doesn't. And to associate this month the acquisition of larger quantities of fuels with the payment of holiday allowances when we have a wage adjustment for the whole public administration, naturally brings many charges to the State ", justified.
“ And if we have to associate to that another unresolved commitment that coincided this month, which is the financing (...) of local and regional legislative elections, of course there is less for us to be able to pay the salary on time”, he added.
São Tomé and Príncipe held elections on September 27, with the Constitutional Court (TC) confirming today the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP, opposition) winner of the legislative elections, with 24 of the 55 elected deputies.