SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian doctors confirmed on Monday that former President Jair Bolsonaro is conscious and is currently in intensive care after undergoing a 12-hour surgery to address a bowel obstruction the day before. The far-right leader was hospitalized due to complications stemming from a stabbing incident to his abdomen in September 2018.
Doctors at the DF Star Hospital, speaking at a press conference in Brasilia, stated that Bolsonaro is not expected to be discharged this week. Cláudio Birolini, the head of the medical team, mentioned that the former president has been experiencing abdominal discomfort since Christmas, indicating ongoing issues related to the stabbing and subsequent surgeries.
The medical team reported that the surgery went smoothly without any complications. Cardiologist Leandro Echenique described it as Bolsonaro’s most intricate surgery since the stabbing, emphasizing the delicate and lengthy recovery period ahead.
Bolsonaro is facing a trial in the coming months at Brazil’s Supreme Court over allegations of attempting to incite a coup in January 2023, following riots instigated by his supporters in Brasilia. He was initially admitted to a hospital in Santa Cruz on Friday, then transferred to a hospital in Natal before his family requested he be moved to Brasilia.
Since the attack during a campaign event prior to the 2018 presidential election, Bolsonaro has had multiple hospitalizations and surgeries during his presidency from 2019-2022. For more news on Latin America and the Caribbean, visit https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america.
