Brazil's jailed ex-president Bolsonaro undergoes “successful” surgery

• Jair Bolsonaro successfully underwent surgery for an inguinal hernia on Thursday at a private hospital in Brasília, marking his first release from prison since his 27-year sentence began in November.
• From his hospital bed, Bolsonaro officially nominated his eldest son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, as his 2026 presidential successor via a handwritten letter to ensure his political movement continues despite his imprisonment.

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup, underwent a "successful" surgery on Thursday for an inguinal hernia, his wife said.

The 70-year-old former president left prison on Wednesday for the first time since late November to undergo the procedure at the DF Star hospital in Brasilia.

"Successful surgery completed, without complications. Now we wait for him to wake up from anesthesia," his wife Michelle announced in an Instagram post.

Bolsonaro has grappled with health issues since being stabbed in the stomach during the 2018 presidential campaign, undergoing multiple surgeries related to his wounds. He was also recently diagnosed with skin cancer.

Doctors for the far-right former leader, who served from 2019 to 2022, anticipated that his hospitalization would last between five and seven more days.

The surgery was to repair an inguinal hernia -- a protrusion in the groin area due to a tear in the abdominal muscles.

"It is a complex surgery," Dr Claudio Birolini said Wednesday. "But it is a standardized... scheduled surgery, so we expect the procedure to be carried out without major complications."

After the operation, doctors are to assess whether Bolsonaro can undergo an additional procedure: blockage of the phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm, for recurrent hiccups, Birolini said.

Brazil's Supreme Court sentenced Bolsonaro to prison in September after he was found guilty of having led a scheme to prevent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office and to retain power.

Bolsonaro has maintained his innocence, declaring he was a victim of political persecution.

He has been confined to a small room with a minibar, air conditioning and a television at a Federal Police headquarters in Brasilia.

Earlier, he had been under preventive house arrest between August and November, but was sent to prison a few days ahead of schedule because he tried to damage his electronic ankle bracelet.

A court order said at least two police officers would guard the door to the former president's room during his hospitalization.

Bolsonaro's release from prison for the medical procedure was authorized by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over the case in which the former president was convicted.

The former president's wife is accompanying him during his stay at the hospital.

Succession

His eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, has recently announced a 2026 presidential run, saying his father chose him as his successor.

Ahead of the surgery, Flavio read a handwritten letter signed by the ex-president.

"Faced with this scenario of injustice, and with a commitment to not allow the will of the people to be silenced, I have decided to nominate Flavio Bolsonaro as a pre-candidate for the presidency of the republic," the senator told a press conference outside the hospital, quoting his father's letter.

It was the first public message in several months from the usually outspoken Jair Bolsonaro, who is prohibited from expressing himself online or in the media without prior judicial authorization.

According to Flavio Bolsonaro, the letter sought to clarify any "doubt" about his father's support for his presidential bid.

"Many people say they had not heard it from his own mouth or had not seen a letter signed by him. I believe this clears up any shadow of doubt," the senator said after reading the text.