Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro was discharged from hospital on Sunday having spent four days receiving treatment for an intestinal obstruction.
The far-right leader was originally taken to a military hospital in the capital Brasilia on Wednesday after suffering persistent hiccups that had lasted around 10 days.
Later that day he was transferred to the private Vila Nova Star hospital in Sao Paulo.
“I had to go on a diet, I did what I had to do. I wanted to leave from day one, but they wouldn’t let me. I hope that in about 10 days I will be able to eat a rib eye steak,” Bolsonaro told reporters as he left the hospital.
“It seems that my stomach was on fire. The cause was an intestinal obstruction, which is common in those like me that have undergone surgery, after the stabbing,” said Bolsonaro, who spoke to journalists for half an hour without wearing a face mask.
He has undergone surgery six times since he was stabbed in the abdomen in 2018 on the campaign trail.
There had been fears Bolsonaro, 66, might need more surgery to clear the obstruction, although that was quickly ruled out.
On Thursday the hospital had said he was “evolving satisfactorily” while his legislator son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, said doctors had removed “close to one liter [a quarter of a gallon] of liquid” from the president’s stomach that was caused by the obstruction, considerably alleviating the pain.
While in hospital, Bolsonaro continued to work and was active on social media, publishing photos and commenting on political subjects.
Because of his abdominal problems, Bolsonaro has been told to “chew food well, eat lighter meals, exercise, walk,” the head of the medical team at the hospital, Antonio Macedo, said on Saturday.
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro attends the flag-raising ceremony at his official residence in Brasilia, Brazil, July 22, 2020. (Photo by Lucio Tavora/Xinhua)
