Brazil’s former president jair bolsonaro hospitalized after health deteriorates in jail

Brasilia (The Uttam Hindu): Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been hospitalized after his health deteriorated. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital in the capital Brasilia after developing pneumonia. Hospital authorities said on Friday that the 70-year-old leader was suffering from high fever, chills, excessive sweating and low oxygen levels. Medical examinations confirmed that he has bronchopneumonia, a type of pneumonia usually caused by bacteria.

Doctor Brás Cayado told reporters that pneumonia can be particularly serious in people above the age of 70. He explained that if the bacteria enter the bloodstream, it could develop into septicemia (blood infection), which may further complicate the condition.

Earlier, Bolsonaro’s son Flávio Bolsonaro wrote on social media platform X that his father had been taken from prison to the hospital. He said Bolsonaro was experiencing chills in the morning and had also vomited. Flávio appealed to people to pray for his father’s speedy recovery.

Jair Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence. Last year, a panel of judges from the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil found him guilty in a case related to an alleged conspiracy to overturn power after the 2022 elections. He was accused of attempting to undermine the country’s democratic system after losing the election.

Bolsonaro’s family has demanded that he be allowed to serve his sentence under house arrest instead of remaining in prison. The family claims that he is not receiving adequate medical facilities in jail. However, the Supreme Court has rejected this request. His son also alleged on social media that the system is trying to harm his father, but the court has dismissed these claims as baseless.

It is worth noting that Bolsonaro has been hospitalized several times in the past. During the 2018 presidential campaign, he was stabbed during a rally and had to undergo multiple surgeries afterward. Earlier this year in January, he was also taken to the same hospital after falling from his bed for brain examinations.

The case has drawn international attention as well. Earlier, former US President Donald Trump had imposed tariffs on Brazil, claiming that the judicial action against Bolsonaro was politically motivated. However, several of those tariffs were later withdrawn.