Official Brazilian government announcements or press releases

Brazil's President Lula, 79, Undergoes Second Surgery to Prevent Further Brain Bleeding

Dec 12, 2024, 09:21 PM

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, aged 79, underwent a second surgical procedure on Thursday morning at the Sírio-Libanês Hospital in São Paulo to prevent further intracranial bleeding following an emergency surgery earlier in the week. The procedure, known as middle meningeal artery embolization, was aimed at reducing the risk of future hemorrhages by blocking blood flow to the area where the initial hematoma had formed due to a fall in October. Doctors reported that the intervention was successful, and Lula remains under intensive care but is expected to leave the ICU on Friday and be discharged early next week. Despite his hospitalization, Lula has continued to perform presidential duties, signing official documents and maintaining contact with his administration. He is lucid, talking normally, and has received visits from family members. The president's condition has raised questions about his potential candidacy in the 2026 presidential election, with his health team assuring that he is neurologically perfect and in good spirits.