Jair Bolsonaro, the President of Brazil, was taken to the hospital on Monday for tests after he felt “discomfort” in his abdomens, a government official said. Bolsonaro will stay in the hospital overnight and will be under observation.

“He is alright”, President Bolsonaro’s Communications Minister Fabio Faria said in a message to Reuters, confirming the executive’s trip to the hospital. Brazil’s Institutional security minister General Augusto Heleno also confirmed Bolsonaro’s hospitalisation.

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Brazil’s Communication Minister said that President Bolsonaro felt “abdominal discomfort” and was taken to the hospital to run some tests. He also cited Bolsonaro’s history of intestinal obstructions, according to reports from Reuters.

Bolsonaro was due to arrive at a political meeting of the Republican party with the elections coming up, however, local media reported that he never came. Republican Party’s President Marcos Pereira also reportedly informed the attendees that Bolsonaro had been taken to the hospital as he was unwell. 

The Brazillian President has had a long history of hospital visits and illness, the abdominal blocking being the latest. Bolsonaro was stabbed in the stomach in 2018 during one of his electoral campaigns. 

He has had at least seven surgeries since he took over as the President of Brazil in 2019. His most recent visit to the hospital was in January this year for intestinal obstruction, however, he was cleared and did not need any surgery.

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According to reports from Reuters, the Brazillian President was also taken to the hospital in July last year after prolonged hiccups. He was then hospitalised with strong stomach pains, however, did not go through surgery.

Bolsonaro reportedly “lost 40% of his blood” after being stabbed at a public rally in 2018, according to media reports citing the hospital staff. Bolsonaro’s family said that the knife had penetrated 12 cm into his abdomen.