The Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, may be forced to undergo emergency surgery after he was rushed to hospital in the early hours of Wednesday complaining of abdominal pain. Bolsonaro, 66, was reportedly admitted to a military hospital in the capital Brasília at about 4am, after being struck down by an unremitting bout of the hiccups which has lasted for more than 10 days. In a statement, the presidency said additional tests would be carried out in São Paulo, which is home to some of Brazil’s top medical centres, to determine whether Bolsonaro needed emergency surgery. During a trip to southern Brazil last Friday, Bolsonaro reportedly had to abandon a dinner after feeling ill. In a recent social media broadcast, Bolsonaro said his hiccups problem had started after he underwent dental surgery on 3 June, and blamed it on drugs he had been prescribed.

Source: The Guardian July 14, 2021 13:36 UTC