The previous president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, appeared at the Federal Police headquarters for questioning in an investigation regarding jewelry and gifts given to him and his wife by the Saudi monarch during his time in office. The police closed off the street outside the building. One of the jewelry sets given to the first lady worth $3.26 million was confiscated by customs officials from a government aide returning from Saudi Arabia. Bolsonaro returned two more gift packages under an order from Brazil’s Federal Audit Court. The incident tarnished his reputation as a president who fights corruption. Critics accused him of trying to evade customs duties by smuggling them into Brazil. Bolsonaro’s defense stated that the gift delivery showed his commitment to comply with the audit court’s decisions and his willingness to respect the law. He also handed over another gift from the UAE, a rifle and pistol, to the Federal Police. Bolsonaro returned to Brazil last week after spending almost three months in self-imposed exile in the United States following his defeat in last year’s elections.
The former Brazilian president appeared Jair Bolsonaro At the Federal Police headquarters on Wednesday, to testify in an investigation into jewelry and gifts that the Saudi monarch gave him and his wife in 2021, when he was still in his presidential position.
The police closed off the street outside the building.
Customs officials confiscated one of the jewelry sets given to then first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, worth 16.5 million Brazilian reais ($3.26 million), in the backpack of a government aide returning from Saudi Arabia.
Bolsonaro returned two more gift packages under an order from Brazil’s Federal Audit Court.
The former president said he did nothing wrong by receiving the gifts, but the jewelry incident tarnished his reputation as a president who fights corruption. His critics said the gifts belonged to the presidential collection, and accused him of trying to evade customs duties by smuggling them into Brazil.
Local media reported that several officials in Bolsonaro’s administration had tried unsuccessfully to retrieve key jewelry held from customs at Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo.
Bolsonaro’s defense said in a statement Tuesday that the gift delivery showed his commitment to comply with the decisions of the audit courts, and his willingness to respect the law.
Bolsonaro also handed over another gift from the UAE, a rifle and a pistol, to the Federal Police.
Bolsonaro returned to Brazil last week, after nearly 3 months in self-imposed exile in the United States, after his defeat in last year’s elections.
France 24/AFP
The investigation into former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro’s acceptance of jewelry and gifts from the Saudi monarch has sparked controversy and scrutiny into Bolsonaro’s potential involvement in corruption. While Bolsonaro maintains that he did nothing wrong, the confiscation of valuable jewelry and accusations of attempted evasion of customs duties have damaged his reputation as a leader. As the investigation continues to unfold, the public waits to see the outcome of this high-profile case.