Lula cancels dinner with Saudi prince who gave jewelry to Bolsonaro

Lula government

Agenda would take place this Friday (23), in Paris, France. No reason for cancellation was given.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) will no longer attend the dinner hosted by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman al Saud.

The agenda, which would take place this Friday (23), would be the PT’s last in Europe, before returning to Brazil. Until the last update of this report, the Planalto Palace had not informed the reason for canceling the appointment.

The Saudi leader is the same one who presented, in 2021, the then president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) with millionaire jewels. The pieces, valued at R$5 million, were illegally brought to Brazil. The case is being investigated by the Federal Police (remember the case below).

Saudi Arabia lives under a dictatorial regime. The prince is known for using violent measures to silence his opponents, including abroad.

Mohamed bin Salman is accused on suspicion of ordering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, last seen at the Saudi embassy in Turkey in 2018. The professional was critical of the dictatorial regime in Saudi Arabia. According to investigations, the body of the professional would have been dismembered. His remains were never found.

saudi jewelry

In October 2021, a government delegation, led by the then Minister of Mines and Energy, Bento Albuquerque, returned to Brazil from an official trip to Saudi Arabia with women’s jewelry in their luggage.

The items, according to Albuquerque, were gifts from the Saudi government to the then first lady, Michelle Bolsonaro. Together, the jewels come to a value of R$ 5 million, according to an expert report by the Federal Police.

The jewels were in the backpack of an advisor to the then minister. At the Guarulhos airport, in São Paulo, the advisor tried to pass through customs, in the queue at the Federal “Nothing to declare”. By law, however, he should declare the accessories and pay a fee of 50% on the value of the jewelry — that is, R$ 8.25 million.

As there was no payment, the Revenue withheld the jewels. The Bolsonaro government has tried, on at least eight occasions, to retrieve the items, even calling on other ministries, in addition to the head of the Revenue. In all these attempts, no one paid the fee, and the jewels were not returned.

The most recent attempt took place in December last year, days before Bolsonaro left the Presidency. At the time, the personal office of the then president asked the Revenue to release the set. The letter was signed by Mauro Cid, then Bolsonaro’s assistant.

Former President Jair Bolsonaro was summoned to provide clarification to the Federal Police in April of this year. The inquiry investigates whether the former president committed the crime of embezzlement, that is, when a public official appropriates money or goods that he has in his possession due to his position. The penalty ranges from 2 to 12 years in prison, in addition to paying a fine.

*With information from Metrópoles

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