Lula discharged from hospital, "I’m coming home"

The Brazilian president Ignacio Lula da Silva he was released from hospital today and resumes his normal activities. In recent days he had undergone surgery to reduce an intracranial hemorrhage resulting from an accidental fall. The 79-year-old president will be able to resume his activities, although the next 15 days will be “more cautious” and he will have to remain in Sao Paulo until Thursday, when he will undergo new tests, cardiologist Roberto Kalil, one of the doctors, said at a press conference who are treating him at the Sirio-Lebanese Hospital. At that point he will be able to return to Brasilia and continue his schedule of commitments. “The only restriction is exercise,” Kalil said.

After surgery for a brain hemorrhage caused by a blow to the head nearly two months ago, Lula’s recovery “has been far better than expected,” said another of his doctors, Ana Helena Germoglio. “To my happiness and that of the team, the president has been discharged from the hospital, he added. The Brazilian leader, known for his frenetic work pace, burst into the press conference without warning and approached the microphones , walking without assistance. “I’m here in one piece (…) I’m going home,” said Lula, dressed in a jacket and hat that covered the after-effects of the operation.

The bleeding that forced him to be hospitalized was the result of an accident that occurred on October 19, when the president fell in the bathroom of the official residence in Brasilia and hit the back of his head. He received stitches for the fall and underwent regular evaluations for several weeks. But he resumed his routine, with a particularly busy schedule that included welcoming G20 leaders at the Rio de Janeiro summit on November 18-19.