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SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - Brazil's finance minister was taken hostage for hours this week by armed assailants who invaded and robbed a country retreat he was visiting for a barbecue during carnival, officials and Brazilian media said Friday.
At least three hooded gunmen overpowered a caretaker on Tuesday and broke into the gated home of a friend where the minister, Guido Mantega, was with his wife and two children. The incident occurred in Ibiuna, a rural area of weekend getaway houses about 40 miles southwest of South America's largest city.
The criminals spent hours Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning robbing about 20 people before leaving with jewelry and about $9,500 in cash, Globo TV reported.
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