Brazil President Lula da Silva Awake and Recovering After Successful Hip Replacement Surgery

Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is in recovery at a hospital following a successful hip replacement surgery, which is expected to temporarily curtail his international travels but not significantly disrupt his presidential activities, AP reports.

Dr. Roberto Kalil, addressing the media on Friday, reported that the left-leaning leader's operation was a success.

The procedure required general anesthesia and lasted between two and three hours. Lula, 77 years old, will soon be transferred to his room at Hospital Sirio-Libanes in Brasilia, where he will spend a few days recuperating.

Additionally, he underwent minor eyelid surgery, as per Dr. Kalil.

The Brazilian government had previously announced that Lula would remain in his presidential role during his medical absence, with no temporary transfer of authority to Vice President Geraldo Alckmin.

Despite the surgery, experts like Paulo Calmon, a political science professor at the University of Brasilia, anticipate that the impact on Lula's duties and negotiations will be minimal and not significantly affect the decision-making process.

Brazil President Lula da Silva Hip Replacement Surgery

The surgery proceeded without complications, and Lula will not require admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), as confirmed by Dr. Roberto Kalil during a press conference.

He is expected to be moved to a regular hospital room in the coming hours, according to Reuters.

Lula has been enduring persistent pain for over a year, but it hasn't prevented him from embarking on numerous international trips since taking office in January.

Following his hospital stay until Tuesday, he will spend three weeks at the presidential residence for further recovery.

Lula expressed his commitment to post-operative physiotherapy and dedicated treatment, emphasizing his optimism.

Lula stated that he will only resume his international presidential trips at the end of November when he plans to travel to the United Arab Emirates for the COP28 global climate meeting.

Until then, he intends to stay in Brasilia and avoid air travel, as he mentioned in an interview on the government TV channel.

Vice President Geraldo Alckmin will assume some of Lula's responsibilities and public appearances during his absence.

However, there are no plans for him to act as the president during this time, according to government officials.

Brazil President Lula da Silva's Osteoarthritis

The need for Lula's hip surgery arose from his diagnosis of osteoarthritis before last year's presidential election. He decided to postpone the operation until after the election, BNN Bloomberg noted.

The pain in his hip has worsened this year, and he opted for the procedure during a break in his busy international travel schedule.

Lula expressed his desire to regain his ability to play soccer and run following the surgery, which he hopes will allow him to return to work as early as the following Monday if all goes well.

Throughout this period, Lula has been cautious about infection, as he continued to wear a mask during public events to minimize the risk before his hospitalization.

Lula initially disclosed his need for surgery in July, ensuring he scheduled it around significant global events.

Despite Brazil President Lula da Silva's health challenges, he attended the Group of 20 summit in India and the United Nations General Assembly in New York earlier this month.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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