Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been diagnosed with skin cancer, his doctor confirmed on Wednesday, days after the 70-year-old was convicted of leading an attempted coup.
Bolsonaro was discharged from a hospital in Brasilia where he had been admitted under prison guard on Tuesday with violent hiccups, vomiting, dehydration, low blood pressure and an elevated heart rate. Doctors also reported persistent anaemia and impaired kidney function.
The ex-leader underwent tests after visiting hospital on Sunday, where eight skin lesions were removed. “Two tested positive for squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that is neither the most benign nor the most aggressive, but still has potentially serious consequences,” said his doctor, Claudio Birolini. The lesions were removed, and no further treatment is currently required.
Bolsonaro has faced repeated health problems since being stabbed in the abdomen during his 2018 presidential campaign. He has undergone multiple operations and frequently reported illness during his recent trial.
Last week, a court sentenced Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison after finding him guilty of plotting to overthrow leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated him in the 2022 elections. Prosecutors said the plan included assassinating Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes, but collapsed when military leaders withheld support.
Bolsonaro’s lawyers say they will appeal. If unsuccessful, he may request to serve his sentence under house arrest for health reasons.
The conviction has strained ties with Washington. US President Donald Trump, a close Bolsonaro ally, dismissed the trial as a “witch hunt” and imposed 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian imports alongside sanctions on top officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned further measures could follow.