Brazilian President Undergoes Emergency Surgery for Brain Hemorrhage

Doctors say the condition of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil, is stable following emergency surgery related to a "brain hemorrhage," and he is expected to be discharged from the hospital next week. Mr. Lula, who is 79 years old, was transferred to the best hospital in São Paulo after experiencing severe headaches last night and underwent surgery. According to doctors, the brain hemorrhage is linked to a fall he had a few weeks ago. The medical team at Sirio-Libanese Hospital stated in a press conference on Tuesday, December 20, that Mr. Lula regained consciousness after the surgery and can eat. During Mr. Lula's absence, Geraldo Alckmin, the Vice President of Brazil, is carrying out his duties. Doctors added that the cause of the brain hemorrhage was his fall on November 20, which occurred in the restroom of the presidential residence, resulting in a head injury that required several stitches. Following the onset of severe headaches on Monday, doctors discovered that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage after a thorough examination. He was transferred to Sirio-Libanese Hospital, where doctors quickly performed surgery to relieve pressure in the brain by drilling a hole in the skull. The medical staff described the Brazilian President's condition as "stable." Marcos Estavalle, a member of the medical team, stated, "The bleeding occurred on the left side of the inner skull space between the brain and the dura mater, which is the thick outer protective layer covering the central nervous system." Roberto Calil, another member of the medical team, also said, "No damage was done to the patient's brain due to the bleeding." In October, after the fall and head injury, Mr. Lula canceled a trip to Russia for the BRICS summit on medical advice and participated in the negotiations via video call. Additionally, despite previously announced plans from the Brazilian presidential office, he did not attend the "COP29" summit in Baku. At the time of the incident, Mr. Lula described his fall as "serious" during a phone conversation with a senior official from his party, the Workers' Party of Brazil, which was later shared on social media. The Brazilian President said in that phone call, "I feel fine. An incident occurred, and I was to blame. It was serious, but it did not affect my vital body parts. I am taking care of myself. Doctors say we need to wait several days for a precise assessment of the injuries from this blow." From that date until his transfer to the hospital on Monday evening, Mr. Lula had a busy work schedule, including hosting the G20 leaders' summit in Rio de Janeiro and then meeting with the President of China in Brasília, the capital. In recent years, after returning to the presidency of Brazil, Mr. Lula has often spoken about his good health and expressed a desire to live until "120 years old." However, he has also faced other health issues in the past.