Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro Discharged from Hospital, Plans to Attend Amnesty Rally

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been discharged from hospital after a three-week stay following major abdominal surgery, Al Jazeera reports.

The right-wing politician, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, had been treated for an intestinal obstruction.

Bolsonaro, 70, announced his impending release on social media Sunday, even suggesting he would attempt to attend a rally being organized by supporters on Wednesday. He has suffered several medical complications, including six surgeries, stemming from a 2018 stabbing incident that left him with lasting injuries.

“I’m going home renewed. My next challenge: joining the Peaceful March for Humanitarian Amnesty on Wednesday, May 7,” Bolsonaro wrote.

The planned rally is intended to advocate for amnesty for supporters of the former president who stormed government buildings in Brasilia following Bolsonaro’s defeat to current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the 2022 election. Bolsonaro had notably refused to publicly acknowledge his loss at the time.

Bolsonaro had been traveling throughout Brazil, attempting to garner support for an amnesty for the January 2023 riots, when he was hospitalized after experiencing severe abdominal pain during a political event in Rio Grande do Norte in April.

Legal Troubles Loom for Bolsonaro

The ex-president, known for his alignment with right-wing figures in the United States and globally, is facing significant legal challenges. In March, Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled that he should stand trial for his alleged involvement in a plot to overturn the results of the 2022 election.

Thirty-three other individuals have been accused of participating in the coup plot, which reportedly included a plan to poison President Lula and assassinate a Supreme Court judge.

Bolsonaro has already been barred by the Supreme Court from running for any elected office until 2030, stemming from accusations of abuse of power during his presidency and spreading disinformation about the country’s electronic voting system. The accusations included unfounded claims that the voting system was susceptible to widespread fraud.