Brazil's Lula 'Well' in Intensive Care After Emergency Brain Surgery

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Facts

  • A medical team at the Sírio-Libanês Hospital told a press conference on Tuesday that Brazilian Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva "has progressed well" and is now stable in intensive care after undergoing emergency brain surgery.[1][2]
  • This comes as Lula was rushed on Monday night from Brasília to São Paulo for an MRI scan, which detected a brain bleed, after feeling unwell and complaining of a worsening headache and drowsiness.[3][4]
  • The surgery involved a craniotomy to drain a bleed between his brain and meningeal membrane. Lula will remain under observation for at least 48 hours and is expected to return to the country's capital next week.[4][5][6]
  • According to doctors, the issue appears to be linked to a head injury he suffered after falling from a stool in the bathroom of the presidential residence on Oct. 19. Neurological complications and brain injuries have been ruled out.[6][7][8]
  • After his fall, the Brazilian president canceled trips to Russia and Azerbaijan for summits as doctors advised him not to travel by plane. Last month, however, he showed no clear signs of impairment as he hosted the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.[8][9]
  • Vice Pres. Geraldo Alckmin has assumed some leadership duties while Lula is recovering, including welcoming Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico.[5][10]

Sources: [1]The Guardian, [2]Associated Press, [3]Folha de São Paulo, [4]The Wall Street Journal, [5]BBC News, [6]Reuters, [7]The Brazilian Report, [8]The New York Times, [9]Financial Times and [10]Semafor.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by France 24. Lula has demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout his life, not only to deal with challenges in politics but also to bounce back from health problems. On top of losing a finger while working in a car parts factory, he had a hypertension scare at the end of his second term, survived larynx cancer, and received a hip replacement. This brain bleed is another issue that he will overcome.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Bloomberg. Whether you like Lula or not, his old age and successive health issues are obviously a matter of concern. Posting videos of himself working out does little to appease that — especially as domestic problems mount during his administration and as he fails to attend summits abroad. It's about time for him to realize that Brazil needs a leader who is able to solve problems — if not now, at least in the next presidential term.