Brazil court approves Bolsonaro’s temporary release for surgery on Christmas

Brazil’s Supreme Court on Tuesday approved a request from former president Jair Bolsonaro to temporarily leave prison to undergo a hernia surgery on December 25, according to court documents cited by Reuters.

The former president’s legal team asked on Tuesday for him to be hospitalized at DF Star in Brasilia for Wednesday tests and surgery on Thursday.

Bolsonaro, who was stabbed in the abdomen during his 2018 campaign, has previously undergone multiple hospitalisations and surgeries linked to that attack.

On Tuesday, the right-wing leader cancelled a scheduled interview with the news outlet Metropoles, citing health reasons, the outlet reported; Justice Moraes had previously authorised him to conduct the interview from prison.

Financial markets have been closely monitoring developments, as Bolsonaro was anticipated to formally endorse his eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, for a 2026 presidential run.

“He is about to be hospitalized for surgery - some days he wakes up feeling well, other days worse. Today may have been a day when he woke up feeling more unwell,” the senator said in a video posted on social media.

Why is Bolsonaro in jail?

Bolsonaro is jailed for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 presidential election.

He was accused of attempting to overturn the election results and undermine the democratic transition, part of a broader effort to cling to power illegally.

Investigations revealed that Bolsonaro and his allies sought to disrupt the democratic process, including plans to interfere with the official vote count and mobilise supporters to challenge the election outcome.

In 2025, Bolsonaro was convicted and sentenced to 27 years in prison, a rare and severe punishment for a former head of state in Brazil.