Jair Bolsonaro Successfully Undergoes Surgery Amid Political Turmoil

Fri Dec 26 2025 17:52:08 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has successfully undergone surgery for a double hernia while serving a 27-year sentence for coup plotting. The operation took place in Brasília following a special permit from the Supreme Court.

Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, has successfully had surgery for a double hernia, according to his wife, Michelle. Currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for coup plotting, Bolsonaro was transferred to a hospital in Brasília to undergo the procedure. Amid these health concerns, he publicly endorsed his son Flávio Bolsonaro for the upcoming presidential election in 2026, marking a significant development in Brazilian politics.

The jailed ex-president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has undergone a successful surgery for a double hernia, his wife Michelle says.

The former leader is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 presidential election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Brazil's Supreme Court granted permission for the 70-year-old to be transferred from the room in the federal police headquarters where he is serving his sentence to a hospital in the capital, Brasília, for the procedure.

Ahead of the surgery, Jair Bolsonaro endorsed the candidacy of his eldest son, Flávio, for the 2026 presidential race.

In a handwritten letter, read out by Flávio Bolsonaro outside the hospital, Jair expressed his support for his son, saying, During my life, I have fought tough battles... I hand over what is most important in the life of a father - my own son for the mission of rescuing our country, Brazil.

Flávio Bolsonaro, a 44-year-old senator, had previously announced his intention to run for president for his father's Liberal Party and has received his father’s formal endorsement.

The upcoming election in October 2026 will see incumbent President Lula competing again, as Brazil continues to navigate its political landscape post-Bolsonaro's controversial leadership.