Bolsonaro Hospitalized Under Court Order for Hernia Surgery on Christmas Day

Overview

• The former president was transferred from Federal Police custody on Dec. 24 and admitted to Hospital DF Star, where a medical bulletin deemed him fit for surgery scheduled for Dec. 25 at 9 a.m. under general anesthesia with an expected duration of about four hours.
• STF Minister Alexandre de Moraes authorized the temporary hospital transfer for an elective bilateral inguinal hernia repair after a Federal Police medical exam recommended the operation as soon as possible.
• Moraes ordered discreet transport, continuous surveillance with at least two agents posted at the door, and a prohibition on cellphones, computers, and other personal electronic devices in the hospital room.
• Visitation rules were updated to allow Bolsonaro’s children to visit under hospital policies without phones after initial authorization had permitted only Michelle Bolsonaro as a companion.
• House arrest was denied and, after an expected five to seven days of hospitalization, Bolsonaro must return to PF custody, with a potential phrenic nerve block for persistent hiccups under evaluation during the stay.