By Gabriel Araujo and Lisandra Paraguassu
December 10, 20245:52 AM CSTUpdated 6 min ago
SAO PAULO, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was rushed to Sao Paulo overnight for emergency surgery to drain a bleed on his brain linked to a fall in October and he will remain in hospital for a couple more days, the government said on Tuesday.
The 79-year-old Lula is "well" and being monitored in the intensive care unit after the successful operation, a medical note published by the government said. Doctors will hold a press conference at 9 a.m. local time (1200 GMT) to provide details.
Presidential spokesperson Paulo Pimenta said in a radio interview that Lula would likely remain in the ICU for another 48 hours, with contact limited to his medical team.
"He is stable, conscious and calm," Pimenta said.
There have been increasing health concerns about the aging president, a standard bearer of the Latin American left who is halfway through his third non-consecutive term. Weak results for his Workers Party in this year's municipal elections underscored the lack of a clear leftist successor if he chooses not to run for re-election in 2026.
More:
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazils-lula-undergoes-surgery-subdural-hematoma-stable-icu-2024-12-10/