Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has canceled his trip to Russia to attend the BRICS summit after falling at home and sustaining a minor brain hemorrhage. The President’s office announced that Lula was advised by doctors not to take long-haul flights due to his head injury.
The 78-year-old Lula will now participate in the BRICS conference via video link instead of traveling as originally planned on Friday afternoon.
Lula’s doctor, Roberto Kalil, revealed in an interview with GloboNews that the President suffered a “giant” wound at the back of his head that needed stitching, and there was a “minor brain hemorrhage” in the temporal and frontal lobes following the fall.
“This condition requires repeated checks within a week. In theory, any brain hemorrhage could worsen within days, so observation is crucial,” Kalil stated.
Kalil added that Lula is currently in good condition and able to carry on with normal activities.
According to a medical report from Sirio Libanes Hospital in Brasilia released on Sunday, Lula’s occipital bone at the back of his head was torn in the Saturday incident.
The report advised Lula to “avoid long-haul air travel, but can still fulfill normal duties in other aspects.”
The Brazilian government announced on X that Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira has been designated to lead the Brazilian delegation to the BRICS summit and departed Sunday evening.
The “BRICS countries” comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and later expanded to include South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, was established 15 years ago as major emerging market countries.
Gleisi Hoffmann, chairwoman of Lula’s Workers Party, confirmed on social media that she spoke with Lula over the phone. She stated, “His condition is good, just avoiding long trips.”
(This article is based on relevant reports from Reuters)