MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolsonaro to rest throughout July due to health issues

On Tuesday, Bolsonaro canceled an appointment with his Liberal Party in Brasília

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has canceled all his public engagements for July due to recurring health issues, including constant hiccups and vomiting that make it difficult for him to speak and eat.

“I have been instructed to remain on complete bed rest during the month of July,” Bolsonaro said on social media after a medical report confirmed a diagnosis of severe esophagitis, esophageal erosion, and moderate gastritis after an endoscopy.

This marks another setback in Bolsonaro's health, which has been fragile since he was stabbed in 2018. He underwent a complex 12-hour abdominal surgery in April 2025 for an intestinal obstruction, and despite doctors' recommendations to avoid crowds, he has continued with public events.

“As a result, the schedules for Santa Catarina and Rondônia are suspended. Bouts of hiccups and vomiting have become constant, preventing me from even speaking,” the former president said in a brief statement published on his behalf by his son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL/RJ), on X.

Senator Bolsonaro and former First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro have publicly expressed concern for the retired Army captain's well-being and called for his complete recovery. “Jair needs this time to recover completely. I have faith that God will help him, and soon he will be 100% ready to resume his work schedule,” Michelle wrote on Instagram.

In addition to his health struggles, the 70-year-old leader is currently on trial before the Supreme Federal Court for allegedly leading a “criminal organization” that planned a coup to keep him in power after his 2022 electoral defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. If found guilty, he could face up to 40 years in prison. Bolsonaro denies involvement in a coup plot, claiming he is a victim of “political persecution” to prevent him from running in future elections, despite already being ineligible until 2030 due to previous electoral misinformation.

Bolsonaro's physicians said he will remain on “home rest” this month “to ensure the complete recovery of his health after extensive surgery and prolonged hospitalization, an episode of pneumonia, and recurrent bouts of hiccups, which make it difficult for him to speak and eat.”

“During this period, he will be away from his usual activities, including public engagements and political party activities, returning as soon as he is fully recovered,” they added.

On Tuesday, he canceled an appointment with his Liberal Party in Brasília.

”My father is literally killing himself after they tried to kill him. The number of 'people' who claim to be 'right-wing' coming to his profile for a long time now, hoping for the worst, is really very cruel, and the inertia of many is revealing. It has always been this way, but lately it is hurting me even more because you can see the orchestrated movement ahead of a surgery lasting more than 10 hours in less than two months. And to think that they want the death of the person who enabled them to have a voice! Stay strong, Dad. Have mercy, Lord!” his son Carlos Bolsonaro posted on social media.