Bolsonaro says he deposited BRL 913,000 for fines – 08/16/2023 – Power

Former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) made a court deposit of R$913,000 due to fines for not wearing a mask during the pandemic on trips to the state of São Paulo. The information was disclosed to the UOL by Fábio Wajngarten, Bolsonaro’s advisor.

The deposit takes place on the same day that the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), sent a bill that amnesty for pandemic fines. Bolsonaro’s ally, Tarcísio asked for urgency.

Bolsonaro went in person this Wednesday (16) to a Banco do Brasil branch in Brasília. In June, he had his account blocked by the Justice of São Paulo for not paying the fines. Bolsonaro’s advisory stated that the amount of BRL 913,336.08 was passed on by the Justice.

The deposit was made in court, as Bolsonaro is awaiting the judgment of an appeal at the TJ-SP (São Paulo Court of Justice). If there is a favorable decision, the former president will have the amount refunded.

In all, the former president owes R$ 1,081,285.69 to the state for disrespecting the use of a mask during events in 2020 and 2021, according to the portal de Dívidas Ativas de SP. Bolsonaro took several tours and public agendas during the height of the pandemic without using face protection – which has become mandatory in different parts of the country.

Sending money to the São Paulo court takes place after Bolsonaro received more than R$ 17 million in transfers via Pix identified by Coaf (Financial Activities Control Council). Allies of the former president ran a campaign to raise funds for fines.

On June 29, the former president even said that he would already have the amount to pay off the debt. “Enough has already been collected to pay the current fines and the expectation of further fines,” he said.

Former adviser to Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), Fabrício Queiroz, was one of the people who participated in the campaign and transferred R$10. Other politicians linked to the former president even transferred R$1,000.

“Any amount for Bolsonaro to pay these fines and not suffer any retaliation from the Judiciary,” said federal deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG), during the beginning of the campaign.