According to media reports, the 79-year-old leftist leader spoke publicly for the first time since the procedures during a hospital press conference. Doctors stated that he would now continue his recovery at his home in São Paulo.
In a brief but positive statement, Lula expressed eagerness to resume his presidential duties as soon as possible. His medical team confirmed that he had been cleared to return to work, though they advised him to avoid long-haul international flights and rigorous physical activity.
“I’m here, whole,” said Lula at São Paulo’s Sírio-Libanês Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment. “I’m healed; I just need to take care of myself.”
As part of his recovery plan, the president is scheduled to undergo a CT scan on Thursday. This medical procedure, used to obtain detailed internal images of the body, will determine his readiness to return to the capital, Brasília.
Lula’s doctors reported that the surgeries had been successful and that he would be able to walk and hold meetings while recuperating at his home in São Paulo until Thursday. Although international travel remains off-limits for now, his team suggested that he could potentially travel to Brasília after his medical evaluation.
The president underwent two operations last week to address bleeding in his skull. The first, performed on Tuesday, involved draining blood accumulated between his brain and the meningeal membrane—a condition linked to a fall at his home in late October. The procedure lasted about two hours.
A second operation, carried out on Thursday, was a middle meningeal artery embolization aimed at reducing the risk of future bleeding. Lula later had a drainage device removed from his head without complications.
This health scare has sparked discussions among political analysts regarding the potential impact on the veteran politician’s career. Now in his third non-consecutive term as president, Lula’s health issues have raised concerns about succession plans within his Workers’ Party should he be unable to run for re-election in 2026.
Despite these concerns, Lula’s spokesman dismissed any doubts about the president’s ability to continue in office or campaign for re-election. On Friday, December 13, Lula posted a video on Instagram showing himself walking for the first time since his hospitalisation, signaling a positive step in his recovery.
(With inputs from agencies)
(Edited by : Priyanka Deshpande)
