Lula undergoes hip surgery in Brasília hospital

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is at Brasília’s Sírio-Libanês Hospital, where he will undergo a procedure to restore his hip joint. He arrived at around 8 am on Friday (Sep. 29). The exact time of the surgery has not been announced, but a press conference with the medical team is scheduled for the end of the day.

The president has arthrosis in the femoral head of his right hip, which is wear and tear on the cartilage that lines the joints, causing pain and even limited movement. In recent months, the president has been complaining of pain more frequently and is optimistic about the outcome of the operation.

The surgery should take a few hours, under general anesthesia, and President Lula is expected to remain in hospital until Tuesday (Oct. 3). Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin is not expected to take over the presidency during this period.

After being discharged from hospital, the president will go to the Alvorada Palace, his official residence, where he should work for four weeks while he fully recovers. The president’s office also stated that President Lula will not be traveling for four to six weeks after the surgery.

His next international engagement should be the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), in Dubai late in November, followed by a visit to Germany on December 4 and 5.