Brazil's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has undergone a medical procedure to treat a persistent case of hiccups that has plagued him for nine months. The news comes as the 70-year-old right-wing leader serves a 27-year prison sentence for his role in plotting a coup to overturn his 2022 election loss.
Medical Intervention for a Nine-Month Ordeal
According to a social media post by his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, the former president had a "phrenic nerve block procedure" performed on Saturday. His medical team later confirmed they had blocked the right phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm, and scheduled a follow-up procedure to block the left nerve within 48 hours.
"It's been nine months of struggle and anguish with daily hiccups," Michelle Bolsonaro stated. The procedure was reportedly successful. This treatment followed Bolsonaro's hospitalisation last Wednesday for a separate hernia operation.
A Prison Sentence and Hospital Leave
Bolsonaro's current medical issues unfold against the backdrop of his severe legal predicament. In September, Brazil's supreme court convicted and sentenced him to 27 years in prison for leading efforts to subvert the democratic process after his electoral defeat.
Supreme court justice Alexandre de Moraes granted a temporary release from prison, allowing Bolsonaro to be hospitalised for the necessary surgery. From his hospital bed, Bolsonaro endorsed the 2026 presidential campaign of his son, Flavio Bolsonaro. Upon discharge, he will return to a federal police jail in the capital to continue serving his sentence.
A History of Health Complications
The former president's health has been a recurring concern since he survived a stabbing attack in September 2018 during a campaign event in Juiz de Fora. That incident led to multiple surgeries in his abdominal region, which have contributed to his ongoing medical challenges, including the recent hernia operation.
The juxtaposition of his serious criminal conviction and his very public, protracted health battle continues to capture national and international attention, highlighting the dramatic fall of a once-powerful political figure.
