Diplomat who returned from Arabia with Bolsonaro’s minister says he only carried personal items – 07/03/2023 – Politics

Diplomat Christian Vargas, the third member of the delegation from the Ministry of Mines and Energy that traveled to Saudi Arabia in October 2021, claims to have returned to Brazil carrying only personal items and that, when disembarking at the airport in Guarulhos (SP), he was not carrying items offered as official gifts to the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government.

“My duties were strictly political-diplomatic advisory and did not include logistical and protocol aspects, such as the exchange of gifts, which were the responsibility of the Minister’s Adjutant of Orders [Bento Albuquerque, titular da pasta sob Bolsonaro]”, said Vargas, in a note sent to the Sheet.

“I must say that no one asked me, at any time, to transport any package or other people’s luggage. And, if that had happened, I would evidently have refused to do so. I entered Brazilian territory, through Guarulhos International Airport, only with my luggage and my personal belongings and, when going through the control of the Federal Revenue, no irregularity was detected”, concluded the diplomat.

Vargas, currently appointed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) to head the Brazilian embassy in Havana (Cuba), accompanied the then Minister Albuquerque (Minas Energia) to Riyadh, as he held the position of head of the international advisory department at the time. .

Albuquerque, Vargas and the military Marcos André dos Santos Soeiro participated in Saudi Arabia in the launch of the Green Middle East initiative. Bolsonaro himself had been invited to the meeting, but he sent Albuquerque as his representative.

On his return to Brazil, when passing through customs at the Guarulhos airport, Soeiro was selected by the Revenue for inspection and had a set of jewelry apprehended at R$ 16.5 million. The articles would be a gift from the government of Saudi Arabia to the then first lady Michelle Bolsonaro.

Another package of luxury items that was with the delegation entered the country without being intercepted by the Revenue. It included a watch, pen, cufflinks, ring and a rosary of sorts, all from the Swiss diamond brand Chopard. A receipt shows that the items were delivered to the Planalto Palace in late 2022, about a year after entering the country.

On Saturday (6), Albuquerque said in an interview with Sheet that the gifts were separated into two suitcases and divided among the other members of the entourage. The former minister also stated on the occasion that he went through customs carrying only personal items and that the case containing a watch, pen, cufflinks and rosary entered the country through the hands of the advisors who accompanied him.

He did not mention the names of Soeiro —who had his luggage inspected by the Revenue Service— and Vargas, although the two were the only members of the delegation headed by Albuquerque.

A Sheet he sought out the former minister again to find out if he maintained the version given on Saturday in light of Vargas’ assertion that he did not enter the country with the second group present, but did not receive a response.

Revenue is going to investigate the circumstances of the entry into Brazil of this second set of jewels sent by the Saudis through the mission headed by Albuquerque.

In a note released on Monday (6), the Revenue Service said that “it will take the appropriate measures within the scope of its competences to clarify and comply with customs legislation, without prejudice to analysis and clarification regarding the destination of the good”.

Goods purchased abroad with a value greater than US$ 1,000 (a little over R$ 5,000) must be declared to the Revenue upon entry into Brazil. When they exceed this amount, they are subject to import tax, which is 50% on the surplus.