Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's former president, was hospitalized due to severe abdominal pain while campaigning in Rio Grande do Norte. Doctors are assessing whether surgery is needed for an intestinal obstruction. This comes as he faces trial for attempting to overturn the 2022 election results, with a ban on running for office until 2030.

Brazil's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, was hospitalized on Friday in Santa Cruz, a small city located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, after experiencing severe abdominal pain. This was confirmed by his son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, in a statement to the public.

Bolsonaro was attending a political event with his supporters when he began to feel unwell. He was subsequently flown to the hospital by helicopter for immediate medical attention.

Doctors attending to the former president informed Reuters that he would undergo a series of scans to determine whether the abdominal pain was caused by an intestinal obstruction that might require surgical intervention. Should surgery become necessary, Bolsonaro would be transferred to a hospital in São Paulo for further treatment.

This is not the first time Bolsonaro has faced abdominal issues. In 2018, ahead of his election, he suffered a near-fatal stabbing attack, which led to significant blood loss, around 40%, and required emergency surgery. Following this, he underwent several procedures, including the placement and later removal of a colostomy bag. These past surgeries have made him more susceptible to intestinal disorders.

This hospitalization comes at a time when Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, was beginning a political campaign tour across northeastern Brazil. He has been actively campaigning for an amnesty bill for his supporters who stormed the capital, Brasília, following his loss in the 2022 presidential election.

In connection with the events surrounding the storming of Brasília, Brazil's Supreme Court has ruled that Bolsonaro must stand trial, facing accusations of attempting to overthrow the government after his electoral defeat. Due to the pending trial, he has been barred from running for public office until 2030. Bolsonaro denies all allegations of wrongdoing, claiming that the court is persecuting him.