Brazil finance minister safe after Carnival holdup

SAO PAULO, Feb 24 (Reuters) Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega was held up and kidnapped by three robbers who invaded a country home he was visiting over Carnival, police said today.

Three suspects were arrested in connection with the crime.

Sao Paulo state chief investigator Mario Jordao said the criminals, who were armed with pistols, did not know a minister was in the house. Mantega, his wife and at least three other people who were inside were released unharmed.

The break-in occurred on Tuesday in a place called Ibiuna in the interior of Sao Paulo state while Brazil was celebrating the pre-Lenten Carnival holiday.

''They spent between three and four hours there and did not know that a minister was in the house,'' he told reporters yesterday.

Jordao said the three men stole money, objects and ''one or two guns,'' after which they asked the owner to give them a lift in his car to a rural center nearby. ''Apparently they cannot drive,'' he said. The owner got back later, also unharmed.

''From what I heard, Mantega is calm ... there was no violence,'' he added. He said police have not yet taken Mantega's testimony and did not know whether anything was stolen from him personally.

He said Mantega probably did not have bodyguards with him.

The finance ministry refused to comment on the case.

The three arrested men are suspected of having performed several other similar robberies in the region, in which they always asked for a lift afterward.

REUTERS PDS RN0432