Former minister Bento Albuquerque is involved in the case of jewelry allegedly given as a gift to former president Jair Bolsonaro.| Photo: Marcello Casal Jr/Agência Brasil

Former Minister of Mines and Energy, Bento Albuquerque, will testify to the Federal Police this Tuesday (14) about his involvement in the case of jewelry allegedly given as a gift by the government of Saudi Arabia to former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and former -First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro. The package with the artifacts was in the possession of the admiral on his return from a trip to the country, and they were seized by the Federal Revenue Service at the International Airport of São Paulo-Guarulhos.

Bento Albuquerque’s testimony comes just over a week after Minister Flávio Dino, of Justice, ordered the PF to investigate the circumstances of the jewelry valued at more than R$ 16 million. The admiral is expected to explain to the agents some of the information that was also requested by minister Augusto Nardes, from the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) (see in full), such as the list of gifts received during the visit to Saudi Arabia, which ones were actually brought, if they would be of a very personal nature to the couple or would be integrated into the official government collection and, if for personal use, if arrangements were made for the payment of due taxes.

In addition to providing clarifications to the PF, Bento Albuquerque should also be removed from the board of directors of the Itaipu Binacional plant later this week, as confirmed to People’s Gazettethe Ministry of Mines and Energy this Monday (13).

Also on Monday (13), the defense of the former president informed that he is going to deliver the second set of gifts received from the Saudi government and that they would have gone through the customs of the Revenue without inspection. The lawyers say, in a document filed with the TCU, that Bolsonaro did not intend to “have for himself assets that could, in any way, be held as public”.