Ex-president Jair Bolsonaro is questioned by police over allegations of unlawful import of jewelry and items from Saudi Arabia.
(Reuters Archive)
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has appeared on the federal police headquarters to testify in an investigation into jewelry and items given in 2021 to the then-president and his spouse by the king of Saudi Arabia.
Police closed the road outdoors the constructing on Wednesday.
The case has added to the authorized jeopardy already surrounding the far-right politician’s time as president.
He can be underneath investigation for any involvement in a rampage by his supporters by way of the nationwide capital after he left workplace and for quite a few actions through the presidential election marketing campaign he misplaced final fall.
Federal police and prosecutors are investigating whether or not three units of jewelry introduced into the nation from Saudi Arabia have been public items that Bolsonaro improperly tried to stop from being included into the presidency’s public assortment or have been non-public items that Bolsonaro tried to sneak into Brazil with out paying taxes.
Brazil requires its residents arriving by aircraft from overseas to declare items price greater than $1,000 and, for any quantity above that exemption, pay a tax equal to 50 p.c of their worth.
The three units of jewelry would have been exempt from tax had they been a present from the state of Saudi Arabia to the nation of Brazil, however wouldn’t have been Bolsonaro’s to maintain.
After Bolsonaro left the Federal Police headquarters in Brazil’s capital on Wednesday, it wasn’t recognized if he answered investigator’s questions or exercised his proper to remain silent.
He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing linked to the items, and stated he by no means tried to cover something.
READ MORE: Brazil court docket orders Bolsonaro handy over items from Saudi Arabia and UAE
Obeying the legislation
In an announcement on Tuesday, Bolsonaro’s defence stated that handing over the items confirmed his dedication to obey the audit courts choices and willingness to respect the legislation.
A customs agent seized one of many units, manufactured by Swiss model Chopard and reportedly price some $3 million, at Sao Paulo’s worldwide airport in October 2021 when an adviser to the then minister for mines and power introduced it into the nation.
Documents and video footage printed by Brazilian news shops seem to indicate supposed emissaries of Bolsonaro making a number of unsuccessful makes an attempt to retrieve the seized jewelry, up till simply days earlier than the top of his presidency.
A authorities watchdog ordered Bolsonaro to return the remaining jewelry to the state-owned Caixa Economica Federal financial institution.
He returned one set on March 24. The different was delivered on Tuesday, Bolsonaro’s former communications chief, Fabio Wajngarten, wrote on Twitter.
Bolsonaro returned to Brazil final week after almost three months within the United States of self-imposed exile following defeat in his bid for re-election final 12 months.
READ MORE:
Bolsonaro lands again in Brazil three months after election defeat
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