Lula diagnosed with vertigo-causing ear condition

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Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was diagnosed Monday with labyrinthitis, an ear condition that can cause vertigo, in the latest health setback for the 79-year-old.

Lula, who was hospitalised last year for a haemorrhage under his skull caused by a bathroom fall, was examined Monday at a hospital in Brasilia before returning to the presidential residence with orders to rest, the government said.

Lula has faced several health issues. He suffered from hypertension, was treated for throat cancer in 2011 with chemo and radiotherapy, and in 2023 had a hip replaced with a prosthesis.

A 2024 fall in a bathroom in his presidential residence left him with a concussion, several stitches and a haemorrhage that landed him on the operating table.

When he recovered, Lula resumed a busy schedule of meetings and international trips, including to China, Russia, Vietnam, and Japan.

In the latest hitch, Lula "cancelled part of his schedule" due to discomfort, a presidency source who asked not to be named, told AFP.

Concerns for Lula's health have raised questions about his fitness to seek re-election in a vote next year.

He had already served two terms from 2003 to 2010.