Petrobras CEO wants meeting with Brazil's Lula to discuss his job, sources say

By Rodrigo Viga Gaier

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 5 (Reuters) - Petrobras Chief Executive Jean Paul Prates wants to meet with Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva next week, three sources close to the matter told Reuters, amid rumors that his firing is likely in the coming days.

The meeting could happen as early as Monday, said one source, adding that it will depend on Lula's agenda that day.

Talks of Prates' exit have circulated for months, but on Thursday government sources cited possible replacements close to Lula's inner circle, adding weight to the report.

The head of state development bank BNDES Aloizio Mercadante is among the names being considered. According to one of the sources, Mercadante called Prates and said he was consulted about the matter.

Mercadante, however, told Prates he did not want the job, and would only take it if there was no way around it, one of the sources said.

Mercadante and Prates did not reply to requests for comment.

Prates has been under friendly fire from parts of Brazil's governing coalition calling for the state-run oil company to bring down fuel prices and ramp up job-creating investments.

Lula will have a more direct involvement in trying to find a solution to the matter, Social Communications Minister Paulo Pimenta told local TV channel GloboNews on Friday. (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier, writing by Fabio Teixeira; Editing by Bill Berkrot)