The case, revealed in early March by the daily
Estado de Sao Paulo,
is causing controversy in Brazil.
Jair Bolsonaro, received several lots of jewelry worth several million euros from the Saudi government.
The former president, who returned a week ago after a three-month stay in the United States, following his defeat in the presidential election, was heard by the police on Wednesday about it.
A first batch was found at Guarulhos airport, near Sao Paul.
On October 26, 2021, a Brazilian government delegation returns from an ecology summit in Saudi Arabia.
At the bottom of the backpack of an adviser to Bento Albuquerque, then Minister of Mines and Energy, customs officers discovered a necklace, a ring, a watch and a pair of earrings from the Swiss brand Chopard, including the total value is estimated at over $3 million.
The adviser planned to wear these jewels to Jair Bolsonaro.
Entering Brazil in possession of such jewels is not in itself illegal, but the law requires them to be declared if their value exceeds 1,000 euros, which the minister's adviser did not do.
In addition, if the jewels had been presented as an official gift, it is the State which would have kept them after the mandate of Jair Bolsonaro.
The jewelry was a gift from Saudi Arabia to Jair Bolsonaro and his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro.
The president would have tried to sneak them in to avoid paying taxes, or handing them over to the state.
Once customs got their hands on it, he tried, for a year, on several occasions, to recover these jewels by sending relatives and members of the government to claim them at the airport, until the last days of its mandate.
A Rolex watch
After the revelations of the Brazilian media, justice looked into the origin of these jewels.
On March 15, the Court of Auditors (TCU) gave Jair Bolsonaro five days to hand over all the documents offered by Saudi Arabia, which the former president did.
The diamonds intercepted at the airport are not the only jewels received by Bolsonaro.
He was given another batch of jewelry, estimated at 70,000 euros, consisting of a watch, cufflinks and a fountain pen.
A few days before his hearing, his lawyers also handed over to the police a third batch with a Rolex watch.
Summoned to investigators on Wednesday, the former president denied having committed any wrongdoing.
“Jair Bolsonaro's testimony took place calmly, [he] answered all questions.
It was a great opportunity to clarify the facts,”
tweeted Fabio Wajngarten, former head of communications for his government and current adviser to the ex-president.
Jair Bolsonaro is not done with justice.
The investigation into the jewels must continue and he remains the target of other investigations (in particular for incitement to the riots of February 8, interference in a police investigation for corruption which targeted one of his relatives or even disinformation on the Covid), some of which for which he risks prison.
Jair Bolsonaro maintained, during his presidency, very good relations with Saudi Arabia and its crown prince Mohammed Ben Salmane, isolated on the international scene after the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The ties were as diplomatic as they were economic.
The year 2022 had marked a record for imports into Brazil of products from Saudi Arabia.
