BRAZIL: Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo leaves Brazilian hospital after successful cancer treatment

Record ID: 449740

  • Title: BRAZIL: Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo leaves Brazilian hospital after successful cancer treatment
  • Date: 2nd December 2010
  • Summary: SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (DECEMBER 1, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIORS OF HOSPITAL WHERE PARAGUAYAN PRESIDENT FERNANDO LUGO WAS RECEIVING TREATMENT FOR HIS LYMPHOMA CANCER VARIOUS OF POLICE OUTSIDE HOSPITAL VARIOUS OF LUGO WALKING OUT OF HOSPITAL AND GREETING DOCTORS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PARAGUAYAN PRESIDENT FERNANDO LUGO, SAYING: "This is the end of another chapter of the Paraguayan president's illness -- a chapter which lasted a few months with this last chemotherapy. After this there will still be a period of precaution because there will be moments like from 5 to 10 of December where my immune system will be weak so I have to be careful, especially during the Caacupe celebrations. Then comes a period of normality, but when there will certainly be many activities in Paraguay, but when this cycle will be over and we will have to monitor the illness." LUGO GIVING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PARAGUAYAN PRESIDENT FERNANDO LUGO, SAYING: "This is a common practice in all countries. All countries have the right to maintain as a state secret a lot of information and the elaboration of strategies and conflict possibilities, above all. But this should not be made known, it should not be made known. We will continue to analyze (U.S. cables revealed by Wikileaks) very seriously and very serenely as well how all this information regarding country may affect us. But I think there are other more important pieces of information than the one regarding the candidates." LUGO GREETING PEOPLE OUTSIDE HOSPITAL AND ENTERING CAR LUGO'S CAR DRIVING AWAY FROM HOSPITAL
  • Embargoed: 17th December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil, Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: International Relations,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVAB1Y2KYC0COQCXRNFX7FHCIP95
  • Story Text: Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo left a Brazilian hospital on Wednesday (December 1) after the final session of his chemotherapy, which doctors have reported as successful.
    According to a medical report released on Tuesday, Lugo's lymphoma cancer was in remission after the four-month long treatment in a hospital on the business capital of Sao Paulo.
    Lugo, 59, a former Roman Catholic bishop whose presidency has been overshadowed by paternity scandals and the cancer diagnosis, is due to finish his term in 2013.
    The medical report should ease concerns about the president's health in Paraguay, which has enjoyed a decade of political stability after a volatile period after the end of Gen. Alfredo Stroessner's dictatorship in 1989.
    On his way out, Lugo told reporters he would still remain careful, keeping track of his health.
    "This is the end of another chapter of the Paraguayan president's illness -- a chapter which lasted a few months with this last chemotherapy. After this, there will still be a period of precaution because there will be moments like from 5 to 10 of December where my immune system will be weak, so I have to be careful, especially during the Caacupe celebrations. Then comes a period of normality, but when there will certainly be many activities in Paraguay, but when this cycle will be over and we will have to monitor the illness," he said.
    The Paraguayan leader also made comments about the release of classified U.S. diplomatic cables relating to the South American country by website Wikileaks.
    In one of the many documents disclosed, it said the United States investigated an allegedly financial support by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to Lugo's election campaign in 2008.
    The cables also revealed that the U.S. asked the then-U.S. ambassador in Paraguay to investigate the presence of Islamic terrorists in some regions of the country.
    Lugo said authorities would investigate the incident and played down the electoral accusation.
    "This is a common practice in all countries. All countries have the right to maintain as a state secret a lot of information and the elaboration of strategies and conflict possibilities, above all. But this should not be made known, it should not be made known. We will continue to analyze (U.S. cables revealed by Wikileaks) very seriously and very serenely as well how all this information regarding country may affect us. But I think there are other more important pieces of information than the one regarding the candidates," he said.
    Lugo, an ally of leftist Chavez who has led the poor, soy-exporting country for two years, underwent the last of six chemotherapy sessions. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in August.
    He will still need regular check-ups for the next two years before doctors declare him completely recovered from the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer that originates in the lymphatic system, the disease-fighting network spread throughout the body.
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