Rio De Janeiro: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was discharged from a São Paulo hospital on Sunday, following two emergency surgeries last week to address and prevent head bleeding.

The 79-year-old leftist leader made his first public appearance at a hospital press conference, looking upbeat and wearing a hat. He gestured frequently as he spoke, expressing his eagerness to return to his duties as soon as possible. His medical team approved of this, though they advised him to avoid long international flights for the time being and to refrain from intense physical activity for up to a month.

"I'm here, complete," Lula said after spending most of the week at São Paulo’s Sirio-Libanes Hospital. "I'm healed. I just need to take care of myself."

Lula also addressed the arrest of Walter Braga Netto, former defense minister and vice-presidential candidate to far-right ex-President Jair Bolsonaro. Braga Netto, a retired general, faces accusations from federal police of plotting a coup to overturn Lula's narrow victory over Bolsonaro and to assassinate him shortly after the 2022 election.

"It's unacceptable that in a country as generous as Brazil, individuals in high military ranks are plotting the death of a president," Lula remarked.

The president's recent health issues have raised concerns among political analysts, with some suggesting that if he is unable to run for re-election in 2026, it could cause significant upheaval in the Workers Party’s succession plans.

Doctors indicated that Lula will continue his recovery at home in São Paulo before returning to Brasília. However, he is unlikely to travel until after Thursday, when he is scheduled for a CT scan to assess his recovery.