Brazil’s Lula Leaves Hospital After Emergency Brain Surgery
(Bloomberg) -- Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been discharged from the hospital following emergency brain surgery and should stay in Sao Paulo recovering until Thursday before returning to the capital, Brasilia.
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Lula, 79, will continue to be monitored and will undergo a CT scan later this week, his doctors said during a news conference on Sunday in Sao Paulo. After being reevaluated, he will then return to Brasilia. Dr. Rogerio Tuma, a neurologist, said the surgery was related to a fall he took at his home, not to a disease.
In a surprise appearance, Lula — wearing a sun hat — spoke to journalists during the hospital’s news conference. Lula said that he only became aware of the seriousness of the situation after his surgery on Tuesday night. Leaving the hospital, he said he is feeling positive.
“I’m going home calm and certain that I’m cured and that I need to take care of myself,” he said. “I need to stay calm for at least 60 days or so, but I can go back to work.”
The president is in good condition, walking and eating, his doctors said.
Lula can also perform his normal job duties, the doctors said. Though he is restricted from all international travel and physical exercises for the next month, they added.
Last week, Lula was rushed to Sao Paulo for emergency surgery after suffering headaches and being diagnosed with an intracranial hemorrhage. His health has been the subject of speculation since the October fall, which led him to cancel his participation in a series of international summits.
The developments come at a challenging time for the leftist leader as his government tries to pass through Congress public spending cuts that have been long sought by investors. This week is now the last opportunity to pass in Congress the spending cut plan before the holiday break.
If lawmakers don’t approve the proposals before the year-end, the government may send a provisional measure to grant a minimum wage increase for 2025. All other measures of the fiscal package would only be voted after February, when legislators return from the holiday break.
--With assistance from Daniel Carvalho.
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