Brazil’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office asked the Federal Audit Office (TCU) on Monday to demand that former President Jair Bolsonaro return all the gifts he received during his term in office.
Prosecutor Lucas Rocha Furtado’s request comes four days after Bolsonaro, his wife Michelle Bolsonaro and other people associated with the former ruler decided to remain silent in their testimony to the Brazilian federal police in Brasilia, in a case involving the illegal sale of jewellery..
The case concerns a series of jewels and items of great value delivered to Bolsonaro during official trips to Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, which should have been delivered to the Brazilian state when he left power.
According to research, Jair Bolsonaro sold some of these jewels through intermediaries, although some of his associates bought them back after Brazilian state control bodies demanded their return.
The prosecution has now asked the TCU, a supervisory body linked to Brazil’s Congress and Parliament, that the former president return all gifts he received from foreign authorities during official trips abroad.
The Public Prosecution Service has collected newspaper clippings showing that Bolsonaro receives watches, gilded sculptures, a samurai helmet, a painting of the Temple of Solomon in Israel and a model of the Taj Mahal in marble, among other things.
According to the state news agency Agência Brasil, prosecutor Lucas Rocha Furtado argued that these donations belong to public property because they were received during Bolsonaro’s term (2019-2022).
The former president is under investigation in several civil and criminal cases, including the January 8 coup, when thousands of supporters invaded the republic’s presidency, Congress and the federal Supreme Court in an attempt to overthrow the current president, Luiz Inácio. Silva.
Brazil’s justice minister said on Monday he will not “allow” Independence Day, celebrated on September 7, to be a repeat of the attacks on the three branches of the government that took place on January 8.
Flávio Dino also confirmed that the government will mobilize the National Armed Forces, an elite police force, to strengthen security in Brasília during the September 7 celebrations.
However, Brazil’s minister downplayed the call for protests, saying the threats of violent acts registered on social networks by far-right groups are “something left”.
Flávio Dino also underlined that the authorities will allow peaceful demonstrations as they receive legal support.
Source: DN
