Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been diagnosed with skin cancer, his doctor confirmed on Wednesday, just days after he was convicted of leading an attempted coup and sentenced to 27 years in prison.
The announcement came as the 70-year-old far-right leader was discharged from DF Star Hospital in Brasilia, where he had been admitted under prison guard on Tuesday following bouts of violent hiccups, vomiting, and low blood pressure.
According to a medical bulletin, Bolsonaro was hospitalized in a dehydrated state, with an elevated heart rate, low blood pressure, persistent anemia, and impaired kidney function. He has since been discharged after responding to treatment.
Bolsonaro’s health has been a recurring concern since he was stabbed in the abdomen in 2018 while campaigning for the presidency. He has undergone several surgeries and has reported various medical issues in recent years, particularly during his ongoing legal troubles.
His doctor, Claudio Birolini, said that eight skin lesions were removed during a visit to the hospital last Sunday, two of which tested positive for squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer.
“It’s not the most benign, nor the most aggressive,” Birolini explained. “It’s considered intermediate but can still carry serious risks.” Birolini added that the tumors were successfully removed and that no further treatment is currently required.
The cancer diagnosis follows Bolsonaro’s high-profile conviction last week for plotting to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election, which he lost to leftist rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Prosecutors accused Bolsonaro and seven co-conspirators of devising a plot to prevent Lula from taking office, a plan that included alleged intentions to assassinate Lula, his vice president Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
The attempted coup reportedly failed due to a lack of support from Brazil’s military leadership.
Bolsonaro’s legal team has said they will appeal the conviction. If the appeal fails, they may petition the court for him to serve his sentence under house arrest due to ongoing health concerns.
Bolsonaro, who remains under house arrest in Brasilia, continues to claim he is the victim of political persecution. His supporters — and allies abroad — have echoed this sentiment.
Former US President Donald Trump, a close political ally, criticized the verdict as a “witch hunt”, further straining diplomatic ties between Brasília and Washington.
In recent weeks, Trump’s administration has imposed a 50-percent tariff on many Brazilian imports and levied sanctions against top Brazilian officials.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that additional US actions could follow, aimed at pressuring Brazil over what the US administration views as a politically motivated trial.
