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Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro underwent a phrenic nerve block procedure on Saturday as doctors worked to treat persistent hiccups that developed following recent surgery, according to statements from his wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, and his medical team. The procedure, which targets a nerve essential for controlling the diaphragm and breathing, highlights ongoing health challenges faced by the 70-year-old former leader.
Michelle Bolsonaro shared on social media that the medical intervention was necessary after her husband continued to experience severe hiccups. In a subsequent update, Bolsonaro’s doctors confirmed they had blocked the right phrenic nerve and scheduled a second procedure within 48 hours to block the left phrenic nerve as part of a staged treatment plan. In medical literature, the phrenic nerve originates in the neck and plays a vital role in regulating the diaphragm, the primary muscle involved in respiration.
Bolsonaro was hospitalized on Wednesday to undergo hernia surgery, a procedure that required special authorization due to his current legal status. In September, Brazil’s Supreme Court convicted Bolsonaro and sentenced him to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup attempt aimed at overturning the results of the 2022 presidential election. At the request of his defense lawyers, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes approved Bolsonaro’s temporary release from prison to allow him to receive surgical treatment.
While recovering in the hospital, Bolsonaro issued a political statement endorsing his son, Flavio Bolsonaro, as a candidate for the 2026 presidential election, signaling his continued influence in Brazilian politics despite ongoing legal and health challenges.
Bolsonaro’s medical issues are part of a longer history of health complications stemming from a stabbing attack he suffered in September 2018 during a campaign rally in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state. Since that incident, he has undergone multiple abdominal surgeries and experienced recurring complications related to the injury.
The recent phrenic nerve block procedure underscores the complexity of Bolsonaro’s medical condition and draws renewed public attention to his health, legal battles, and political legacy as one of Brazil’s most controversial former presidents.
