MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil celebrating unconfirmed report that Lula da Silva is free of cancer

The shaven head former president has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment

A piece of news in a Brazilian website on Wednesday today caused a wave of reactions and expectations when it declared sources close to the medical team treating former Brazilian President Lula da Silva for a throat cancer said he is free of the disease.

According to the website Brasil 247, citing sources close to Hospital Sirio Libanes medical team the former leader was virtually “cured of his throat cancer.”

“The piece of news is still not public and limited to his close circle of friends,” said the website. The media vehicle affirmed the tumour has “reduced significantly.”

Later, the Worker’s Party Senate Leadership took the news to the twitter. “We are celebrating and checking the information” it said.

By midmorning, the piece of news was published at the Senate Worker’s Party webpage giving it a more official status.

Lula da Silva cancer diagnosis in late October shocked Brazilians. The 66 year-old politician plays a vital role in his Workers' Party and opinion polls when he left office after two consecutive four year mandate in January 2011 showed him as the most popular leader of the country in the last sixty years.

Doctors had already previously said they were “impressed” with Lula da Silva’s reaction to the treatment.