Jewels were exhibited by JN
O National Newspaper
exhibited this Thursday (9) the place where the jewelry
of diamonds are retained. Items have been placed in a warehouse at IRS
located in a security area at Guarulhos airport, in São Paulo.
According to the TV Globo program report, the jewels, kept in a leather box and covered in velvet, are guarded 24 hours a day, access is restricted and are kept inside a safe.
The box is medium in size and bears the name of a Swiss jeweler, known for being one of the most expensive and popular in the world. The necklace is made of white gold and has pendants set with diamonds.
The government of Saudi Arabia also delivered a pair of earrings, a ring and a wristwatch made of gold with precious stones to the Bolsonaro administration. The set costs R$ 16.5 million. The products should have been attached to the collection of the Brazilian state.
“Inspection by the Federal Revenue Service is based on technical and impersonal criteria and technical analysis. There is a system developed by the Federal Revenue that crosses dozens of data from all flights that land at Guarulhos Airport. This crossing, allied to an intelligence team, indicates passengers with a possible customs risk that must be inspected”, explained Mario de Marco Rodrigues de Souza, customs officer of the Revenue in Guarulhos.
understand the case
According to a report by “O Estado de S. Paulo”, a first package of jewels, valued at BRL 16.5 million, were delivered by the government of Saudi Arabia to Michelle Bolsonaro, who visited the Arab country in October 2021. the gifts were a ring, necklace, watch and diamond earrings.
However, upon arriving in the country, the pieces were found at the customs at Guarulhos Airport, in São Paulo, in the backpack of an advisor to Bento Albuquerque, then Minister of Mines and Energy. He still tried to use his office to release the diamonds, however, he was unable to recover them, since in Brazil the law determines that all assets worth more than US$ 1,000 must be declared.
Faced with this fact, the Bolsonaro government would have tried four times to recover the jewels, through the ministries of Economy, Mines and Energy and Foreign Affairs. The then president even sent an official letter to the Federal Revenue, requesting that the jewels be sent to the Presidency of the Republic.
In the last attempt, three days before leaving the government, a civil servant used a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) plane to travel to Guarulhos. He would have identified himself as “Jairo” and argued that no object from the previous government could be left to the next one.
Bolsonaro confesses to receiving jewelry
On Wednesday (8), Jair Bolsonaro admitted, for the first time, that he incorporated the jewelry donated by the government of Saudi Arabia into his personal collection. The statement was given to CNN Brasil.
According to Bolsonaro, only the second package, intended for him, is among his personal items. The case delivered to the former president has a ring, watch, pen and accessories for a suit. The value of the goods has not yet been estimated.
The former president still denied knowing about the jewelry destined for his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, seized by the Federal Revenue in 2021. He stressed that he did not ask for gifts and reaffirmed that he had nothing illegal in the case.
Investigations
In addition to the Federal Police and the Federal Public Ministry (MPF), the CGU also launched an inquiry to investigate the case. The Federal Revenue reported that it owes an investigation to investigate the complaints against the former head of the Treasury, Júlio César Vieira Gomes.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro, former First Lady Michelle and former Minister of Mines and Energy Bento Albuquerque should be heard by investigators.
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