Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro arrives at DF Star Hospital in Brasília under police escort for surgery.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has undergone a successful hernia surgery, his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, confirmed on Thursday.
The 70-year-old ex-leader, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting to overturn Brazil’s democratic transition, was taken from custody on Wednesday to the DF Star Hospital in Brasília for the procedure, his first time outside prison since late November.
“Successful surgery completed, without complications,” Michelle Bolsonaro said in an Instagram post, adding that doctors were awaiting his recovery from anaesthesia.
Bolsonaro has faced recurring health challenges since being stabbed during the 2018 presidential campaign, undergoing multiple surgeries related to abdominal injuries. He was also recently diagnosed with skin cancer, according to close aides. Doctors expect his hospitalisation to last five to seven days.
Medical officials said the surgery addressed an inguinal hernia, a condition involving a tear in the abdominal muscle. His doctors will later assess whether he can undergo an additional procedure to treat chronic hiccups.
Bolsonaro was sentenced by Brazil’s Supreme Court in September after being found guilty of leading a plot to block President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from taking office. He continues to deny wrongdoing, describing the conviction as political persecution.
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During his hospital stay, a court order mandates that two federal police officers guard his room. The medical release was authorised by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the former president’s case.
Bolsonaro had earlier been placed under house arrest but was transferred to prison ahead of schedule after authorities said he attempted to damage his electronic ankle monitor.
Bolsonaro recovered
While Bolsonaro recovered, his eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, announced plans to run for president in 2026, revealing a handwritten letter from his father endorsing his candidacy.
“Faced with this injustice, and committed to defending the will of the people, I have chosen Flavio Bolsonaro as a pre-candidate for the presidency,” the senator read from the letter.
The message marked Bolsonaro’s first public statement in months, following court restrictions barring him from media or online communication without judicial approval.
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