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Bolsonaro Has Successful Hernia Surgery in Prison

Published 25 December 2025

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro underwent successful surgery for a double inguinal hernia on Thursday at DF Star Hospital in Brasilia, marking his first departure from prison since beginning a 27-year sentence last November for plotting a coup. The 70-year-old, hospitalized since Wednesday, had court approval for the procedure after federal police doctors confirmed it was necessary to alleviate severe pain.

The operation, which lasted about three to four hours, was described by attending physician Claudio Birolini as uneventful and as expected for the standardized repair of a protrusion in the groin area caused by abdominal muscle tears. Bolsonaro, already awake in his recovery room following anesthesia, is anticipated to remain hospitalized for five to seven days. His wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, accompanied him during the procedure and announced its completion without complications on social media. Security measures included two police officers stationed outside his room around the clock, with mobile phones and computers prohibited inside.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over Bolsonaro's trial, authorized the temporary release and denied a...

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