Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro Released From Military Hospital After Undergoing Slew Of Tests

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was discharged from the hospital Tuesday after spending 12 hours at an army hospital in Brasilia due to abdominal discomfort. He was admitted and subjected to a slew of tests for another possible case of intestinal obstruction.

According to the Global Times, the 67-year-old Bolsonaro is scheduled to travel to the state of Mato Grosso do Sul for an official ceremony but sources say he will maintain his itinerary.

Local media said the president felt discomfort at lunchtime on Monday having kicked off his re-election campaign on Sunday. He was scheduled to attend an event that was organized by the Republican Party that evening but had to skip the engagement. Republican Party president Marcos Pereira addressed his attendees and informed them of Bolsonaro’s absence while reassuring them, “I’m sure the president is fine -- it’s just some tests he’s doing.”

Meanwhile, Bolsonaro is all pumped up and back on his feet to continue his campaign leg. In a tweet posted by his communications minister, the government assured its citizens that Bolsonaro was doing very well after being released from the hospital. The far-right president was even quoted: “I’m ready for combat,” and that his hospital episode was of no great concern.

“I just had a bad night,” the former army captain turned world leader said.

The president’s office made no further comment to provide any details on his health issues but local media sources pointed out the president’s recurring hospitalizations were due to problems with passing food from the stomach to his intestines.

Bolsonaro has undergone seven surgeries since taking the presidential seat in 2019 after an attacker stabbed him in the gut during a campaign event in 2018 in the southwestern state of Minas Gerais. The attack left him with an injury that caused him to lose 40% of his blood as he hung on fighting for his life. His attacker was declared to be mentally unfit to stand trial.

Since then, Bolsonaro has had recurring health problems related to abdominal issues. His senator son, Flavio Bolsonaro tweed that his father continues to experience health problems as a consequence of the attempt on his life.