Bolsonaro Hospitalized, Treated for Hiccups Amidst Legal Battles
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A former Brazilian president, aged 70, is currently hospitalized in Brasília following treatment for a persistent case of hiccups, a condition doctors link to a 2018 stabbing. The ongoing medical interventions come as the ex-leader serves a sentence stemming from accusations of attempting to subvert the 2022 election results.
The former president left prison on Wednesday, November 22, for the first time since his detention at the end of November, to undergo an operation for an inguinal hernia at the DF Star hospital. The operation, performed on Thursday, November 23, was reportedly successful. Medical staff continued treatment on Saturday, November 25, with a novel approach to address his months-long struggle with hiccups.
Addressing a Peculiar Ailment
Doctors administered an anesthetic blockade of the right phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm, using an analgesic injection. “Everything went well,” a practitioner announced, adding that the left side of the nerve will be treated on Monday, November 27. The procedure, lasting approximately one hour, was described by another doctor as “not a surgical operation” and did not involve any incisions.
According to Michelle Bolsonaro, the former president has been experiencing daily hiccups for nine months. Medical professionals believe this condition is a lingering effect of a stab wound sustained during a campaign rally in 2018, which necessitated multiple major surgeries.
From House Arrest to Imprisonment
Prior to his imprisonment on November 22, the former president was under house arrest from August to November. His current incarceration stems from an attempt to tamper with his electronic monitoring bracelet using a soldering iron.
In September, the Supreme Court found him guilty of conspiring to remain in power after losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The court determined that the plot failed due to a lack of support from key military figures. The former army captain has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming he is the victim of political “persecution.”
Comfortable Confinement
Upon his release from the hospital, the ex-leader will return to a federal police facility in Brasília to continue serving his sentence. His accommodations include a surprising level of comfort: a small room equipped with a minibar, air conditioning, and a television. This detail has sparked debate regarding the conditions of his confinement.
The situation remains fluid as the former president recovers and legal proceedings continue, marking a significant chapter in Brazilian political history.
