Former president has been hospitalized at DF Star since Friday with pneumonia; Doctors describe the condition as the most severe to date
The minister of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) Alexandre de Moraes authorized the former president’s lawyers to (PL) pay him a hospital visit this Tuesday (17th March 2026). The decision applies to lawyers Paulo da Cunha Bueno and Daniel Bettamio Tesser. Here’s the (PDF – 116 kB). The order was made 1 day after the defense requested the visits.
O of the former president, released on Monday (16th March), states that Bolsonaro “showed clinical and laboratory improvement in the last 24 hours, with recovery of renal function and partial improvement in inflammatory markers”. The document says that the picture is the result of “favorable response to the antibiotic therapy instituted”.
BOLSONARO’S CLINICAL PICTURE
Bolsonaro around 2am on Friday (13th March), at the 19th Military Police Battalion of the Federal District, known as Papudinha. This is the third pneumonia faced by the former president. According to doctors, it is the most severe to date.
Given the symptoms, a team from Samu (Mobile Emergency Care Service), which remains on duty at the site, was called to provide the first assistance. Doctor Brasil Caiado later evaluated Bolsonaro and already suspected pneumonia.
The former president to DF Star Hospital around 8:50 am. Escort police the moment of transfer from the ambulance to the health unit.
He underwent a series of tests, including a chest and sinus CT scan, laboratory tests and a viral panel to rule out other possible infections.
The tomography indicated bilateral bronchopneumonia, more pronounced in the left lung. Treatment was started immediately with antibiotics administered intravenously. Two medications were used preventively and therapeutically.
After starting the medication, Bolsonaro showed a small improvement, but still reported nausea, headache and muscle pain typical of an infectious condition.
HEALTH HISTORY
Since During the 2018 electoral campaign, in Juiz de Fora (MG), Bolsonaro underwent 14 surgeries. Of the total, 10 are directly related to sequelae caused by the abdominal injury and complications arising from subsequent procedures.
The former president suffers from refractory, or chronic, hiccups, which can cause reflux with substances entering the respiratory tract, as in the early hours of Friday (13 March). The 3 most recent surgeries were performed on December 25th, 27th and 29th, 2025.
At Christmas, a procedure called bilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy was performed, indicated to correct 2 hernias in the groin region – one on the right side and one on the left.
The 2nd and 3rd surgeries were performed to block the phrenic nerve, the right and left respectively, with the aim of reducing hiccups episodes.
Read more:
