Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has canceled his trip to Russia for the upcoming BRICS summit after suffering a recent head injury that resulted in a minor brain hemorrhage, Reuters reports.
Lula, 78, suffered a fall at home that caused significant trauma to the back of his head, requiring stitches and resulting in a small hemorrhage in the temporal-frontal region. His doctor advised against long-haul flights while emphasizing that Lula is otherwise well enough to perform his normal duties. He will participate in the BRICS meeting via videoconference instead.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira will lead Brazil’s delegation at the summit, which includes expanded membership from countries like South Africa, Egypt, and Iran. Lula’s Workers Party president Gleisi Hoffmann confirmed that Lula is recovering well but is simply avoiding the lengthy trip.
