Jair Bolsonaro's Successful Hernia Surgery Amid Political Struggles

Fri Dec 26 2025 18:29:01 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has successfully undergone surgery for a double hernia while serving a 27-year prison sentence for coup plotting, as he endorses his son Flávio for the upcoming presidential election.

Jair Bolsonaro, the jailed ex-president of Brazil, has successfully completed surgery for a double hernia, according to his wife, Michelle. The operation took place after a permission was granted by Brazil's Supreme Court for his transfer from prison to a hospital. While recovering, Bolsonaro publicly endorsed his son Flávio's candidacy for the 2026 presidential race, a decision that highlights the family's continued political influence despite Jair’s incarceration on serious charges related to coup plotting.

The jailed ex-president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has undergone a successful surgery for a double hernia, his wife Michelle says.

The former leader is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 presidential election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Brazil's Supreme Court granted permission for the 70-year-old to be transferred from the room in the federal police headquarters where he is serving his sentence to a hospital in the capital, Brasília, for the procedure.

Ahead of the surgery, Jair Bolsonaro endorsed the candidacy of his eldest son, Flávio, for the 2026 presidential race.

The former president made his decision known in a handwritten letter that was read out by Flávio Bolsonaro outside the hospital were his father is being treated. In the letter, Bolsonaro expressed his commitment to defending what he believes is best for Brazil and entrusted his son's mission to rescue the country.

Flávio Bolsonaro, a senator, had previously announced his intention to run for president, and his father's letter confirmed his endorsement.

Despite Jair Bolsonaro's legal troubles following his conviction for coup plotting and his ongoing sentence, he remains influential in Brazilian politics. Recently, a bill to significantly shorten his sentence was passed in Congress but faces a veto from President Lula. Jair Bolsonaro is expected to return to federal police headquarters once doctors confirm his recovery.