2023-08-28 15:59:01
The state of health of President Gustavo Petro as a result of his constant absences from already scheduled events has once again generated debate in the country.
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This since opposition congressmen requested that the president undergo a medical examination and publicly disclose his results as an act of transparency that generates peace of mind among Colombians.
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This is a debate that also occurs frequently in the United States, especially in the recent presidencies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden, given that the former is 77 years old and the latter is already 80.
The truth is that although there is no law or regulation that obliges the president of the country to undergo a medical examination or to reveal its results, they have been doing it for at least 50 years as a gesture of transparency towards fellow citizens. .
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The practice dates back to the term of Richard Nixon (1969-1974) who decided to reveal the results of his exams after suffering a heart attack and to clear up rumors about his ability to continue being president. There are reports that before Nixon President Dwight Eisenhower (1953 to 1961) did it on a few occasions. Especially in his second term when he also had a heart complication.
That practice was briefly discontinued by President Donald Trump when he entered the White House in 2017 and initially resisted releasing the results.
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During the electoral campaign prior to his election, there was controversy after Trump made public a medical report from his doctor that he later learned had dictated to him. At the time there were reports that the president suffered from heart problems and there were concerns about his overweight and other drugs he routinely took.
The medical examination is normally carried out by a doctor chosen by the president himself and both the examination and the evaluation take place at Walter Reed Hospital.
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It is the power of the president to decide what type of examinations are carried out and which of those results are disclosed. They usually include cholesterol levels, sugar, blood pressure, weight, and others.
In the case of Biden, the last exam that was carried out was presented in a six-page summary that mentioned information about his heart, eyes, thyroid, pulmonary system, intestines, pulmonary system, skin, ears, nose and throat.
Biden, at 80, is the oldest president to reach the White House, and his state of health is often controversial. Particularly because of his cognitive capacity as a result of the mistakes he sometimes makes in public interventions. To date, his doctors have concluded that the president is in good health and capable of holding office.
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The presidents’ annual medical exam does not include a mental health component and there is no mental health evaluation requirement either.
However, as in Colombia, opposition criticism of the president’s state of health and mental abilities is routine.
It is an issue, in addition, that tends to become prevalent during electoral campaigns and it is taken for granted that it will be important again in this campaign ahead of the 2024 elections given that both Biden and Trump – who is emerging as the winner in the primaries Republicans – would rule at an advanced age.
The former president would begin his second reign at almost 79 years of age while Biden would be 82.
SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington
En Twitter @sergom68
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