Gifted jewelry from Saudi Arabia entangles Brazil's ex-President Bolsonaro
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Loading... - Ruza Gutic
- 15 Mar 2023
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The jewelry with diamonds gifted to former President Jair Bolsonaro and his wife Michelle Bolsonaro by the Saudi government, which was seized by customs officials, is seen at São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport, in Guarulhos, Brazil, on Tuesday.
Amanda Perobelli/Reuters
It was quite a gift: a diamond necklace, matching earrings, a watch and a ring, all valued at $3.2 million.
Brazilian customs agents found the jewelry in the backpack of a government aide traveling with the country's then-energy minister in October 2021. The minister and aide were returning from a mining conference in Saudi Arabia.
The jewels were reportedly a gift from the Saudi government to Michelle Bolsonaro, the wife of Brazil's then-President Jair Bolsonaro, and have been held by customs officials since then.
Brazilian officials are investigating whether the former president broke the law trying to bring the high-value gifts into Brazil without declaring them. And Jair Bolsonaro will eventually be subpoenaed, Justice Minister Flavio Dino told reporters this week. Bolsonaro has denied doing anything illegal.
It is the latest legal drama engulfing Bolsonaro, who has been taking residence in Florida since days before his presidency ended in January. Brazil's justice minister said he would not rule out seeking international cooperation to bring the former president back to testify in Brazilian court.
Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said the jewelry should have been declared at customs. "Nobody can just get a present of 16 million reals," he said, citing the estimated value in the Brazilian currency. Procedures must be followed, and they weren't, he added.
Travelers to Brazil have to declare and pay taxes on goods worth more than $1,000, which the former Brazilian officials reportedly failed to do.
Bolsonaro has said he never intended to keep the jewels. "I'm getting crucified for a present I never received," he recently told a Brazilian TV station. "I've never abused my authority."
And the former first lady went on social media to slam the news media over the reports and said she didn't know about the luxury items.
However, the ex-president later acknowledged there was a second case containing a ring, watch, cufflinks, a rosary and a pen. Those items apparently did get past Brazilian customs officials, and local media reported their estimated worth of more than $75,000. Read More…
