Audio By Carbonatix
The health of Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has worsened after intestinal surgery earlier this month, according to his medical team.
The 70-year-old remains in intensive care and will undergo new tests.
Bolsonaro was visited in hospital by a court official on Wednesday, who delivered a summons giving him five days to present his initial defence against coup charges, in preparation for his trial.
Bolsonaro has been ordered to stand trial after charges that he directed an alleged right-wing coup attempt after he lost the 2022 presidential election to the left-wing President Lula da Silva.
In a video of the summons being delivered, Bolsonaro could be seen reacting furiously, saying: "I have five days to present my defence?"
During the alleged coup attempt, Bolsonaro's supporters stormed government buildings. Investigations by the police outlined allegations he had personal conversations, including with figures from the armed forces - about the idea of a coup to cling onto power.
His earlier intestinal surgery was in response to ongoing health issues after he was stabbed in 2018 on the campaign trail in the south eastern state of Minas Gerais.
He lost around 40% of his blood and had emergency surgery, with the perpetrator later declared mentally unfit to stand trial.
He has repeatedly denied coup allegations and accused his opponents of a political witch-hunt.
A day before he was delivered the summons in hospital, he recorded a live YouTube broadcast from his hospital bed with three of his sons, despite a doctor's recommendation not to have visitors.
The Brazilian Supreme Court argued that this showed he was able to be summoned and notified.
Bolsonaro had been hoping to contest the presidential elections again in 2026, despite a current ban on running for office, but he risks a 40-year prison sentence if found guilty.
Latest Stories
-
Alexandrova collapses on court amid 34C heat
17 minutes -
Wolves striker Arokodare joins Ajax on loan
26 minutes -
Cucurella gets tattoo of Spain coach De la Fuente
35 minutes -
Grealish misses Man City tour despite training return
43 minutes -
FIFA offers $40m if nations back controversial plan
52 minutes -
Timber leaves Arsenal camp for groin check
1 hour -
FIFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Argentina
1 hour -
Is World Cup sell-off plan a step too far by Infantino?
1 hour -
Liverpool preparing opening bid for PSG’s Barcola
1 hour -
Henderson nears Chelsea move as Welbeck has medical
2 hours -
Supreme Court ruling unlikely to end monetisation of party primaries – Governance Expert
2 hours -
601 BECE candidates lose results after WAEC confirms exam malpractice
2 hours -
2,722 BECE results under investigation as WAEC cracks down on exam malpractice
2 hours -
Small Feet, Busy Roads: Why Ghana is failing its children every school morning
2 hours -
2026 BECE results released; over 3,600 absent as thousands await final verdict
2 hours