Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro speaks during an election rally in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Tiancong/IANS)
The case involves a set of diamond jewelry worth $3.2 million that was seized by customs inspectors in October 2021….reports Asian Lite News
Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro is facing potential charges of money laundering and other crimes related to undeclared diamond jewelry gifted by Saudi Arabia, local media reported Thursday.
Federal police have accused Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019-2022, of money laundering, embezzlement, and criminal association, according to Brazilian news outlet G1.
The case involves a set of diamond jewelry worth $3.2 million that was seized by customs inspectors in October 2021. The jewelry was found in a satchel belonging to Bolsonaro’s Mining and Energy ministry entourage after returning from a trip to the Middle East.
Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing. Alongside Bolsonaro, eleven others, including his attorney Fabio Wajngarten, face charges. Wajngarten responded on X (formerly Twitter), claiming he was accused “for the bizarre reason of having complied with the law.” Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, called the accusations “open and brazen persecution” against his father.
Despite the federal police’s accusations, Brazil’s Attorney General Office has yet to formally charge Bolsonaro before the Federal Supreme Court. These new allegations add to Bolsonaro’s legal troubles, as he is also under investigation for his role in the January 2023 Brazil Congress attack and faces possible charges for falsifying Covid-19 vaccination documents to travel.
Currently, Brazilian authorities are investigating who gave Bolsonaro’s extremist followers permission to invade the Supreme Court, Congress, and the presidential residence in an effort to void the results of the election in October.
As part of a larger campaign to hold the guilty accountable, a judge of the Brazilian Supreme Court approved an investigation on Friday to determine whether former president Jair Bolsonaro sparked the unrest in the nation’s capital on January 8, The Washington Post reported.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes granted the request from the prosecutor general’s office, which referenced a video Bolsonaro uploaded on Facebook two days after the disturbance. In the video, Bolsonaro claimed Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wasn’t voted into office, but was chosen by the Supreme Court and Brazil’s electoral authority, and now his supporters chant the same as they do not support Lula’s narrow victory, reported The Washington Post.
Currently, Brazilian authorities are investigating who gave Bolsonaro’s extremist followers permission to invade the Supreme Court, Congress, and the presidential residence in an effort to void the results of the election in October.
Supporters of the former Brazil president broke into the country’s Congressional building, Supreme Court and the Presidential palace on January 8. The breaches came about a week after the inauguration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated Bolsonaro in a run-off election on October 30.
Videos on social media showed Bolsonaro supporters smashing windows and furniture in the National Congress and Supreme Court buildings on Sunday, reported Al Jazeera.
They climbed onto the roof of the Congress building, where Brazil’s Senate and Chamber of Deputies conduct their legislative business, unfurling a banner that read ‘intervention’ and an apparent appeal to Brazil’s military.
Security forces used tear gas in an effort to push back the demonstrators with local media estimating about 3,000 people were involved in the incident, reported Al Jazeera.
Brazil riots.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep concern over rioting and vandalism against state institutions in Brasilia while extending his full support to the Brazilian authorities.
“Deeply concerned about the news of rioting and vandalism against the State institutions in Brasilia. Democratic traditions must be respected by everyone. We extend our full support to the Brazilian authorities,” tweeted PM Modi.
US President Joe Biden, too, condemned the ‘assault on democracy’ in Brazil.
Biden tweeted, “I condemn the assault on democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil. Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined. I look forward to continuing to work with @LulaOficial.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the “attack on Brazil’s democratic institutions”. He emphasised the importance of respecting democratic institutions as well as the will of the Brazilian people.
“I condemn the assault on Brazil’s democratic institutions that took place today. The will of the Brazilian people and democratic institutions must be respected. I have full confidence that it will. Brazil is a great democratic country,” Guterres tweeted. (ANI)
