Brazil: Police Ordered to Question Jair Bolsonaro About January 8 Riot

Brazil continues its crackdown on the people behind the January 8 riot where pro-Bolsonaro protesters ransacked the Brazilian Supreme Court and Congress building. Now, a Supreme Court justice has ordered police to question former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes ruled that the former president must give his testimony to authorities and the federal police must do this within ten days and act on the request from the Prosecutor General's Office.

Bolsonaro himself was not in Brazil when the January 8 riot was happening, as he was getting medical treatment in Florida during that time. However, the riot was organized by his supporters, as well as many people connected to him, including close allies and relatives.

Jair Bolsonaro maintains that he did not have any wrongdoings, according to the Associated Press. However, the former president has been "pulling a Donald Trump" even before the elections as he has been accusing the country's electoral committee of acting in favor of the eventual winner, Lula, who narrowly defeated Bolsonaro in the run-off elections.

Brazil Supreme Court Justice Stresses Jair Bolsonaro Testimony's Importance

While Bolsonaro says he did not do anything wrong, Justice Alexandre de Moraes stated on Friday that the former president's testimony was an "indispensable" step to be able to clarify what happened on January 8 in Brasilia.

According to Al Jazeera News, Bolsonaro faced a lot of criticism following the January 8 riots as his supporters not only ransacked Congress and the Supreme Court but also destroyed historical artifacts and priceless pieces of art as well as vandalized government property.

Moraes had been warning that Bolsonaro might pull his own version of the January 6 Capitol Insurrection in the United States, as the then-president had been following former U.S. President Donald Trump's strategy of saying that there has been cheating even though the evidence says there was none.

The January 8 rioters hoped that their protests would instigate a military coup against Lula, as many in the military are still loyal to Bolsonaro and also believe Lula stole the elections. However, the military upheld the rule of law and dispersed or arrested the rioters.

Jair Bolsonaro Was Also Accused of Being Bribed by Saudi Arabia with Expensive Jewelry

Much like Donald Trump whom he had been emulating, Bolsonaro also faces multiple investigations after he left office. One of them includes gifts that he received from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to Al Jazeera, Brazilian police have now launched an investigation into Bolsonaro's Arabian jewelry, which was given as a gift while he was still president of Brazil. Bolonaro allegedly attempted to illegally bring a set of jewelry, valued at more than $3.2 million, into Brazil, and it was revealed that his wife Michelle was supposed to receive them.

However, Brazilian customs intercepted these gifts in 2021. Now, police believe that a second set of jewelry, valued at an estimated $75,000, has managed to enter the country undetected and they are hoping to recover it.

Bolsonaro was ordered to give back these gifts to Saudi Arabia, as well as two guns gifted to him by the United Arab Emirates. An audit on what gifts Bolsonaro received as president has also been ordered.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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