Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has assured Thursday that he has no problem in testifying before the Federal Police about the Saudi jewelry affair because »there is nothing to hide», being surprised by everything that has been organized. »I’m even happy because I did nothing wrong,» he said.
Bolsonaro has acknowledged that the most expensive jewelry box, the one valued at almost three million euros, which entered the country illegally when it was seized in 2021 at Guarulhos Airport, in Sao Paulo, was for his wife, Michelle, and that they tried to recover it through the Receita Federal, a secretariat of Economy.
»We tried to recover Michelle’s other set through requests, without violence. I don’t know what all the fuss is about. If they are believing that, that I did something wrong, I’m even happy, they have nothing to accuse me of,» he said in an interview to Jovem Pan radio station after his arrival from the United States on Thursday.
Bolsonaro said that he and his wife learned of the presence of the jewelry set at customs through the media. It is a »very expensive» collection, as he acknowledged, which was intercepted by an advisor to the Minister of Mines and Energy, Bento Albuquerque, who were part of the entourage.
»Are they expensive jewels? Yes, very expensive, even for the friendly relationship I have with the Arab world. They have, you know. For them it is a pleasure to give, they have a very successful life,» said Bolsonaro, who affirmed that in those countries they feel a real »love» for Brazilians.
»It is increasingly interesting to approach the Arab world (…) My relationship with the Arab world was exceptional, there are the gifts that they gave to the head of state or that they sent to the head of state», he said.
That chest was seized in August 2021 when his entourage tried to bring it in without permission. However, another second set of jewelry did manage to pass without controls and ended up in Bolsonaro’s personal collection, although it has been finally returned by order of the Court of Auditors of the Union (TCU).
This week it emerged that Bolsonaro took with him another box of luxury items — valued at 89,000 euros — which included a white gold Rolex watch encrusted with precious stones. All of these offerings, courtesy of the Saudi kingdom.
The »crush» that Bolsonaro speaks of is valued at about 3.2 million euros, which is what the set of the three chests that were given to him is worth, in addition to a set of weapons that he also received from the United Arab Emirates.
The Federal Police is already investigating this matter, for which other people involved, such as former minister Albuquerque, have already testified. Pending his appearance, Bolsonaro could be charged with embezzlement, as well as with favoritism, if there are suspicions that the gifts were some kind of consideration, and would therefore be disqualified from running in the next elections.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
