Lula at 78: Brazil’s Oldest-Ever President Eyes Future
Today, Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, celebrates his 78th birthday. Born in 1945, he holds the distinction of being Brazil’s oldest president ever.
Moreover, he is the second oldest among G20 leaders. The only older person is Joe Biden, the U.S. President, who is 80.
Looking ahead, Lula is on track to set another record. In February 2024, he will surpass Michel Temer to become Brazil’s oldest serving president.
Temer was 78 years and three months old when he left office in 2019.
At the end of Lula’s current term, he will be 81. Importantly, his team hasn’t dismissed the idea of him running for re-election.
If that happens, Lula could remain in power until he turns 85. Turning to health matters, Lula’s well-being has had its highs and lows.
In February, he underwent MRI scans for his lower back and pelvis at a hospital in Brasilia. Then in March, a respiratory infection forced him to cancel a planned trip to China.
Moreover, he needed hip surgery in late September due to osteoarthritis. During that same hospital visit, he also had a minor eyelid operation.
Both procedures went smoothly, and he left the hospital earlier than expected. Afterward, he focused on recovery and physiotherapy for three weeks at the Alvorada Palace.
Before his presidency, Lula led an active lifestyle. For 50 years, he was a smoker but quit in 2010 after a health scare.
In 2011, he battled laryngeal cancer but recovered fully by 2012. However, the illness left him with reduced leg mobility, prompting a new focus on physical fitness.
During his 19-month imprisonment, Lula continued to exercise. Even then, he never faced any serious health issues. In fact, he walked nine kilometers daily on a treadmill.
Recently, his exercise routine has waned, mostly because he moved to a hotel in central Brasilia.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that Lula contracted COVID-19 twice but didn’t experience severe symptoms either time.
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