The jailed ex-president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has undergone a successful surgery for a double hernia, his wife Michelle says.
The former leader is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 presidential election to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Brazil's Supreme Court granted permission for the 70-year-old to be transferred from the room in the federal police headquarters where he is serving his sentence to a hospital in the capital, Brasília, for the procedure.
Ahead of the surgery, Jair Bolsonaro endorsed the candidacy of his eldest son, Flávio, for the 2026 presidential race.
The former president made his decision known in handwritten letter that was read out by Flávio Bolsonaro outside the hospital where his father is being treated.
During my life, I have fought tough battles, paying a high price with both my health and my family, to defend what I think is best for our country, Bolsonaro wrote.
Flávio Bolsonaro, a 44-year-old senator, had already announced his decision to run for president for his father's Liberal Party, but Jair Bolsonaro's letter has confirmed the senator has his father's backing.
The incumbent, President Lula, has already announced he plans to run again in the presidential election scheduled for October 2026.
Despite his conviction and sentencing, Bolsonaro remains a significant political figure in Brazil, with the recent Congress bill aimed at reducing his prison term sparking widespread protests before President Lula declared he would veto it.
Jair Bolsonaro is expected to be transferred back to federal police headquarters as soon as doctors give the go-ahead.
