Bolsonaro diagnosed with skin cancer after hospital stay in Brasília

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been diagnosed with skin cancer after undergoing tests and treatment in Brasília, according to his doctors and a medical report.

Bolsonaro, who is currently under house arrest, was admitted to DF Star Hospital in Brasília on Tuesday, with symptoms that included hiccups, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, and pre-syncope, according to the hospital’s medical bulletin.

Dr. Claudio Birolini, head of the surgical team accompanying Bolsonaro, confirmed on Wednesday that tests identified two lesions compatible with squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, CNN Brasil reported.

The former president had undergone surgery on Sunday to remove eight skin lesions. A pathology report found carcinoma “in situ” in two of them, requiring continued monitoring and periodic reevaluation.

The hospital said Bolsonaro’s kidney function and other symptoms improved during his stay. He was discharged at around 1:40 p.m. on Wednesday and will continue to be monitored by doctors.

The medical development comes a week after Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court sentenced Bolsonaro to 27 years and 3 months in prison for attempting to carry out a coup d’état to block the transfer of power to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The ruling marked the first time in Brazil’s history that a former president has been convicted of trying to overthrow democracy.

Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022, narrowly lost reelection to Lula in 2022. In January 2023, thousands of his supporters stormed government buildings in Brasília in an effort to overturn the results.