Federal District Governor Admitted to ICU After Chest Drain Surgery

Celina Leão, the governor of Brazil's Federal District, has been admitted to an intensive care unit following surgery to insert a chest drain. The procedure, performed Saturday night, was to treat a pneumothorax, a condition where air accumulates in the space between the lung and the chest wall, causing breathing difficulties.

The surgery lasted approximately half an hour, and Leão is expected to remain in the ICU until Monday for observation. She had sought hospital care after experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath, symptoms indicative of a pneumothorax.

Leão took over the governorship of the Federal District after the resignation of former governor Ibaneis Rocha, who stepped down to pursue a Senate seat in the upcoming elections. Since assuming office, Leão has been tasked with addressing the financial crisis at BRB (Banco Regional de Brasília), which has faced issues related to its involvement in the Banco Master case.

Initially, Leão and Rocha had planned for her to seek a second term as governor with his support. However, their political alliance has since fractured, casting uncertainty over Rocha's backing. In a recent interview, Leão accused Rocha of misogyny, suggesting he believed he could control the government through her, and stated she never considered excluding him from her ticket.