Bolsonaro’s lawyer, Paulo Cunha Bueno, reported that a set of men’s jewelry was deposited in an agency of the public bank Caixa Económica Federal to be incorporated into the State archive, within the framework of an agreement with the authorities.
Since the smuggling attempt became known, both politics and Brazilian justice are investigating a possible link of the gift of the government of Saudi Arabia with the privatization of the Landulpho Alves refinery, located in Bahia, which was acquired by the sovereign wealth fund of the United Arab Emirates, Mubadala Capital.
The return of the jewels was imposed by the Court of Accounts of the Unionan organization that works together with the Federal Police in the investigation of smuggling.
However, the Saudi gift of men’s jewelry, now in the hands of the court, was the second part of the scandal: Initially, the Bolsonaro government tried to bring another set of jewels into the country and women’s diamonds, worth 3.5 million dollars, also from Chopard, which were intercepted by customs from the entourage led by Minister Albuquerque on the same trip.
The former Bolsonaro official admitted that the jewelry was intended for the Brazilian first lady, Michelle Bolsonaro: “All this (the jewelry) is for the first lady“.
How was the Bolsonaro smuggling attempt?
The former president received a large amount of jewelry from the Saudi authorities in October 2021, including “a necklace, a ring, a watch and a pair of diamond earrings”all gifts for who was at that time the first lady, Michelle Bolsonaro.
Upon returning to Brazil, Customs agents found the jewelry in the backpack of one of the soldiers who traveled with the presidential entourage. and they verified that none of the objects had previously been declared as legal trademark. “They are accusing me of a gift that I did not ask for, nor did I receive. There is no illegality on my part“Brazil Bolsonaro, who is still in the United States, told CNN.
The goods were seized at the Guarulhos international airport, in São Paulo., according to information from the newspaper O Estado de São Paulo that was later confirmed by other media. Former Minister of Mines and Energy Bento Albuquerque tried to recover the jewels without success on numerous occasions.
The Brazilian newspaper affirms that, in the last two months of Bolsonaro’s term, four attempts were made to retrieve the gifts even mobilizing the Foreign and Economy ministries, all without success.
Source: Ambito
