Brazil ex-prez Bolsonaro hands over undeclared Saudi ‘gifts’ worth thousands of dollars to authorities

Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has reportedly handed over to the Brazilian authorities some expensive jewellery he had received from the Saudi Arabia government during his tenure. AFP reports that the 68-year-old far-right leader has been embroiled in a scandal over allegations that he brought these jewels into Brazil illegally. As per a Reuters report, the politician on Wednesday was ordered by Brazil's federal audit court (TCU) to deliver within five days a second set of jewellery he received from the Saudi government, the first one first set of jewellery had been seized by customs officials in 2021.

Watch | Bolsonaro under scanner over undeclared jewels given by Saudis

The controversial politician has been accused of illegally trying to bring gifts into the country, but he has denied all wrongdoing.

Visitors to Brazil with items worth more than $1,000 are required to disclose them and pay import duty.

Also read | Bolsonaro will hand over undeclared jewels given to him by Saudis: Report

However, in October 2021, it was revealed by the newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo that Bolsonaro's then-mines and energy minister's assistant attempted to enter Brazil with a backpack containing diamond jewellery from Swiss luxury brand Chopard following a business trip to Saudi Arabia. The assistant was stopped by customs officials.

Later, it was discovered that Bolsonaro had actually retained an additional set of Chopard jewels that, after the same trip, had entered Brazil undetected.

Also read | Explained: All about Bolsonaro, and the boxes of jewels at the heart of a probe

According to media accounts, the first set of jewels is valued at $3.2 million and the second set is worth at least $75,000. Some of these were reportedly given to the former president's wife as a gift. However, Bolsonaro claims "She has nothing to do with this, the box that was for her is with customs." Talking to the TV, he said that "I found out about this story a year later and my wife found out about it through the press."

Bolsonaro who, after losing to successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, left the nation just two days before the end of his term, is likely to return to Brazil on March 30 as per his party.

(With inputs from agencies)

 

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