MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil's Federal Police files case against Bolsonaro

Despite the latest developments, Bolsonaro's arrest is not to be requested in the near future

Brazil's Federal Police (PF) accused former President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday of money laundering and conspiracy to commit a crime in the attempted misappropriation of jewelry gifted by Saudi Arabia while he was in office.

The PF's report will be sent to Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre De Moraes, who is overseeing the investigation, it was explained. The dossier would then be delivered to the Prosecutor's Office to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute Bolsonaro and the eleven other people involved in the case, including former Minister of Mines and Energy Bento Albuquerque, Bolsonaro's then aide-de-camp Mauro Cid, and lawyers Fabio Wajngarten and Frederico Wasseff.

Saudi Arabian authorities presented a Brazilian delegation during an official visit to that country in 2021 with some jewels. Bolsonaro, who was not on that trip, reportedly tried to sell these jewels in the United States but returned the items to the Presidency's archive when the scandal broke out.

According to police experts' estimates, they were worth about 5 million reais (US$ 900,000), somewhat less than what was initially reported in the Brazilian press. The former president's allies believe that there is no case because there was no damage to the public treasury and speak of unfounded persecution.

The retired Army captain is also under scrutiny for presumably falsifying his Covid-19 vaccination records to circumvent travel restrictions. He is also believed to have played a role in the Jan. 8, 2023, storming of the headquarters of all three branches of government.

Cid has proved pivotal to the inquest by providing information in exchange for a reduced sentence.

Despite the latest developments, Bolsonaro's arrest is not to be requested in the near future, it was also reported. However, he has been disenfranchised for eight years by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) since for holding a meeting at the Alvorada Palace with foreign ambassadors and diplomats during which he questioned the credibility of Brazil's electoral system.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wishes Bolsonaro “a fair trial” and with due process. “I defend for him what I defend for myself,” Lula told UOL.

“I wish that he has the right to the presumption of innocence, to defend himself, to be heard,” and that “he is judged correctly,” he stressed.