The surgery was successful and the 79-year-old Lula is “well” and being monitored in the intensive care unit, the note said. Doctors were scheduled to hold a press conference at 9am local time to provide details.

Lula had an MRI scan late on Monday in Brasilia after suffering a headache, which detected an intracranial haemorrhage. He was transferred to Sao Paulo for surgery at Sirio Libanes hospital.

Lula fell at home in late October and sustained a small brain haemorrhage and trauma to the back of his head which required stitches.

Tests in early November showed his condition was stable and Lula remained active, recently travelling to Montevideo to discuss a Mercosur trade deal.

The president’s injury forced him to cancel a trip to Russia for a summit of the BRICS group of major emerging markets being held in Kazan, following medical advice to temporarily avoid long-haul flights.

Brazil’s labour minister Luiz Marinho was among the first politicians to wish Lula a swift and full recovery on social media platform X.