Brazil's Lula 'Well' in Intensive Care After Emergency Brain Surgery
The Facts
A medical team at the Sírio-Libanês Hospital told a press conference on Tuesday that Brazilian Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva "has progressed well" and is now stable in intensive care after undergoing emergency brain surgery.
This comes as Lula was rushed on Monday night from Brasília to São Paulo for an MRI scan, which detected a brain bleed, after feeling unwell and complaining of a worsening headache and drowsiness.
The Spin
Narrative A
Lula has demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout his life, not only to deal with challenges in politics but also to bounce back from health problems. On top of losing a finger while working in a car parts factory, he had a hypertension scare at the end of his second term, survived larynx cancer, and received a hip replacement. This brain bleed is another issue that he will overcome.
Narrative B
Whether you like Lula or not, his old age and successive health issues are obviously a matter of concern. Posting videos of himself working out does little to appease that — especially as domestic problems mount during his administration and as he fails to attend summits abroad. It's about time for him to realize that Brazil needs a leader who is able to solve problems — if not now, at least in the next presidential term.
