Bolsonaro moved out of ICU as pneumonia improves, hospital says

Former Brazilian president, 70, was rushed from Papuda prison to a Brasília clinic on Friday; doctors report kidney function improving and good response to antibiotics

Standfirst: Jair Bolsonaro has been transferred from intensive care to a step-down unit after showing improvement from bilateral bacterial pneumonia that developed in custody, his wife said. DF Star Hospital reported continuing recovery and said the infection was likely caused by bronchoaspiration.

Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been moved out of intensive care to a step-down unit after improvement in symptoms from pneumonia he developed in prison, his wife said. The 70-year-old was taken to DF Star Hospital in Brasília on Friday from the Papuda prison, where he is serving a 27-year sentence for an attempted coup.

Doctors at DF Star Hospital said Bolsonaro had bilateral bacterial pneumonia and that his kidney function had continued to improve. They said he was responding well to antibiotic treatment.

What is confirmed

• Bolsonaro was hospitalized on Friday from Papuda prison in Brasília, according to the account provided.
• He was diagnosed with bilateral bacterial pneumonia, DF Star Hospital said.
• He has been transferred from the intensive care unit to a step-down unit after improvement in his condition, his wife said.
• Doctors reported improving kidney function and a positive response to antibiotics.
• Clinicians said the lung infection stemmed from bronchoaspiration, when gastric material enters the respiratory tract.

Official response

• DF Star Hospital said Bolsonaro’s pneumonia is linked to bronchoaspiration and noted continued improvement under antibiotic therapy.
• His wife said he was moved out of intensive care following clinical improvement.

What is not yet known

• Projected date of hospital discharge: Not provided.
• Specific antibiotic regimen or duration of treatment: Not provided.
• Any changes to his incarceration status related to his health: Not provided.

Why it matters

Bolsonaro’s health has been a recurring concern since he was stabbed in the abdomen during the 2018 presidential campaign. Clinicians cited that attack as the origin of complications — including persistent hiccups and vomiting — that have contributed to repeated episodes of bronchoaspiration, which doctors said directly caused his current lung infection. His medical condition intersects with his ongoing incarceration in a high-profile case, drawing national and international attention.

What happens next

Bolsonaro will continue to be monitored in a step-down unit as he completes antibiotic treatment, according to the hospital’s update. His lawyers have repeatedly sought to convert his sentence to house arrest, but the Supreme Court has rejected those requests. No timeline for further medical updates or legal motions has been announced.

Context

Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022, was jailed last year for his role in a botched coup attempt after losing the 2022 election to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, according to the account provided. The stabbing in 2018 led to multiple surgeries and lasting complications, which doctors say have made him susceptible to bronchoaspiration and related respiratory infections.