The former president () fell while trying to walk and suffered a mild head injury, according to cardiologist Brasil Caiado, who accompanied him. Bolsonaro underwent exams this Wednesday (7) and returned to the Federal Police Superintendency in Brasília, where he is being held.
Initially, doctors and his family pointed out that he had fallen out of bed in the early hours of Tuesday (6). Caiado stated that he tried to reconstruct the episode with the former president this Wednesday and that, based on his injuries, he found that he fell while trying to walk.
The main hypothesis is that an interaction between medications may have caused the discomfort. The cardiologist said he will share the case with the Federal Police team and stated that the former president is unable to be alone.
Bolsonaro underwent a cranial tomography, cranial magnetic resonance imaging and an electroencephalogram. The tests ruled out more serious problems and seizures — a hypothesis raised this Tuesday. According to Caiado, Bolsonaro has dizziness, imbalance and memory fluctuations.
“He probably walked and in the fall he may have hit his head and foot on some object in the room. Why is this different? Because a simple fall from the bed is one thing; getting up, walking and falling is another thing,” said the doctor.
According to the medical bulletin released this Wednesday, imaging tests showed “slight densification of soft tissues in the right frontal and temporal region, resulting from the trauma, without the need for therapeutic intervention.”
Head trauma is any injury caused by an impact to the head. It can reach everything from the scalp to the brain, to different degrees, depending on the intensity of the blow. Many blows to the head have no consequences and do not require treatment. Mild cases may require only observation and medication.
Former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro (PL) and former councilor Carlos Bolsonaro (PL), son of the former president, defended his being placed under house arrest. According to Michelle, a new request will be presented by the defense to STF (Supreme Federal Court) minister Alexandre de Moraes.
“I’m with him and I want to take care of my husband. Let’s reinforce [o pedido] because there is no justification for him to be in prison. Not to minimize his health condition, but he was released because he has sleep apnea. My husband has other comorbidities,” said the former first lady.
The fall of the former president led to a series of criticisms from the family towards the Minister of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet, and the Federal Police.
On Tuesday, Moraes initially denied going to the hospital immediately, after a medical report from the PF that confirmed, and demanded the list of procedures from the defense. Based on the complementary documentation, the minister released the former president for examinations this Wednesday.
“There is no need to immediately remove the person in custody to the hospital, as clearly stated in the note from the Federal Police. The defense, however, advised by the person in custody’s private doctor, has the right to carry out tests, as long as they are previously scheduled and with a specific indication and proven need”, this Tuesday.
Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup d’état in a room at the PF headquarters in Brasília. When he was under house arrest, he had a soldering iron.
Neither Michelle nor Carlos were allowed to be with Bolsonaro in the hospital — they both have the right to visit him on Tuesdays and Thursdays for half an hour.
Carlos told journalists that what worries the family now is not this week’s fall, but rather the possibility of new episodes.
Victoria Borges collaborated
