Jailed Jair Bolsonaro Undergoes Double Hernia Surgery as Son Announces Presidential Candidacy
Updated on: December 25, 2025 / 11:43 AM EST / CBS/AP
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro underwent double hernia surgery on Thursday, his family announced.
In an Instagram post, Bolsonaro's wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, confirmed the surgery was a success. The procedure, which took place in Brasilia, the nation's capital, lasted approximately 3½ hours and was completed without complications, according to the family.
Bolsonaro, who has been hospitalized since Wednesday, is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence since November for an attempted coup.
He received court permission to leave prison after federal police doctors verified the necessity of the procedure.
"It is a complex surgery," Dr. Claudio Birolini stated on Wednesday, as reported by Agence France-Presse. "But it is a standardized... scheduled surgery, so we expect the procedure to be carried out without major complications."
Doctors have indicated that Bolsonaro's double hernia has been causing him pain. The former leader, who held power between 2019 and 2022, has undergone several other surgeries since he was stabbed in the abdomen during a campaign rally in 2018.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over Bolsonaro's coup trial and sentenced him to prison, authorized the medical procedure but denied the former president's request for house arrest upon his discharge from the hospital.
Bolsonaro reportedly has no contact with the few other inmates at the federal police headquarters in Brasilia, where he is held. His approximately 130-square-foot room includes a bed, a private bathroom, air conditioning, a television, and a desk, according to authorities.
He has free access to his doctors and lawyers, though other visitors require Supreme Court approval. On Wednesday, de Moraes granted Bolsonaro's sons permission to visit him while he is hospitalized.
Following Thursday's operation, doctors will assess the possibility of an additional procedure: blockage of the phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm, to address recurrent hiccups, Birolini added.
Earlier on Thursday, his eldest son, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, informed reporters before the surgery that his father had written a letter confirming his appointment as the political party's presidential candidate in next year's election. Flávio Bolsonaro had previously announced on December 5 that he would challenge President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term, as the candidate of Bolsonaro's Liberal Party.
The senator read the letter to journalists, and his office subsequently released a reproduction to the media.
"He represents the continuation of the path of prosperity that I began well before becoming president, as I believe we must restore the responsibility of leading Brazil with justice, resolve and loyalty to the aspirations of the Brazilian people," Bolsonaro stated in the handwritten letter, dated December 25.
The former president and several of his allies were convicted by a panel of Supreme Court justices for attempting to overthrow Brazil's democratic system following his 2022 election defeat.
The plot reportedly included plans to assassinate Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and de Moraes. There was also a scheme to encourage an insurrection in early 2023.
Bolsonaro was also convicted on charges including leading an armed criminal organization and attempting the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
AFP contributed to this report.
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Tags: #Jair Bolsonaro, #Brazilian Politics, #Coup Attempt
