Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro speaks to the press at Congress in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, after panel of Brazil Supreme Court justices accepted charges against him over an alleged attempt to stay in office after his 2022 election defeat. (AP Photo/Luis Nova)
Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been granted temporary leave from prison to undergo surgery on Christmas Day, following authorization from the country’s Supreme Court.
Court documents indicate that Justice Alexandre de Moraes approved Bolsonaro’s transfer from his federal detention in Brasília to a hospital for a hernia operation scheduled for December 25. The 70-year-old is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 presidential election.
Bolsonaro has faced recurring health complications since being stabbed in the abdomen during his 2018 campaign. In April, he underwent intestinal surgery, and in November, Justice Moraes ordered that he receive round-the-clock medical care while in custody.
Bolsonaro had previously been held under home detention, but authorities revoked it over concerns that he posed a flight risk.
Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, posted a video on social media Wednesday, urging supporters to pray for his father’s health.
The former president was convicted in September of attempting to overturn the 2022 election results, which saw him defeated by left-wing rival President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The verdict followed months of legal proceedings overseen by Justice Moraes.
The case continues to fuel political tensions in Brazil. Earlier this month, tens of thousands of Bolsonaro supporters staged protests against proposed legislation that could significantly reduce his prison term. Legal experts estimate that the bill, recently passed by Congress, could cut his sentence to less than three years.
President Lula has pledged to veto the measure once it reaches his desk, though he acknowledged that Brazil’s conservative-leaning Congress could override his decision.
The situation has also drawn international attention. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who previously called the investigation into Bolsonaro a “witch hunt,” welcomed the bill’s passage. The United States has also lifted sanctions against Justice Moraes imposed earlier this year.
Bolsonaro is expected to return to custody following his surgery, as legal and political battles over his future continue to unfold.
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