In 2009 Brazil informed to the U.S. that Evo Morales suffered a sinusal tumor

SINUSAL TUMOR • The Brazilian government announced in 2009 the United States that the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, was suffering a sinusal tumor that caused him to undergo surgery in an operation that the Bolivian authorities attributed to a deviated nasal septum, according to one document leaked by Wikileaks website.

By EUGEN ROXAS

Juan Evo Morales Ayma, Bolivian president. Photo © EL PAIS™ / España

ACHACACHI, Bolivia .— The information got to former U.S. Ambassador Clifford Sobel in Brasilia through the Brazilian defense minister, Nelsom Jobim, after a meeting between Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Evo Morales took place in February.

Jobim said Lula offered to Morales a treatment at a hospital in Sao Paulo and the tumor, never confirmed by La Paz, had taken to the Bolivian president to behave not normally at international summits held during these dates.

Doctors recommended surgery to Morales in October 2008 after suffering constant headaches and otitis. During that period, did not participate in several official events, but Morales postponed the operation until after January 25, 2009, when the constitutional referendum was carried, according to a report of Ambassador Sobel sent to Washington on 22 January of that year.

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRASILIA 000093 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC, WHA/AND, INR E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/22/2019 SUBJECT: BRAZIL'S LULA OFFERS BOLIVIA'S MORALES TREATMENT FOR TUMOR Classified By: Ambassador Clifford M. Sobel, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) In a conversation with Ambassador Sobel following the January 15, 2009 La Paz meeting between Brazilian President Lula and Bolivian President Morales, Brazilian Defense Minister Nelson Jobim (protect) confirmed an earlier rumor that Morales is suffering from a serious sinus tumor. Jobim told the Ambassador that Lula had offered Morales an examination and treatment at a Sao Paulo hospital. Although there have been been public reports that Morales needs surgery for "acute sinusitis," and related otitis and headaches, according to Jobim his problems in fact are caused by a serious tumor and the surgery will be an effort to remove it. Treatment has been put off, however, until after the constitutional referendum scheduled for January 25. Jobim, who attended the meeting between Lula and Morales, commented that the tumor might explain why Morales has seemed unfocussed and not his usual self at this and other recent meetings. SOBEL.

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The Bolivian government blamed the operation, conducted in February, a correction of the nasal septum of the president that would hinder breathing.

Source: Wikileaks^®

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The location of the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses make them extremely close to vital structures. Sinonasal malignancies (SNM) can grow to considerable size before presentation, and aggressive therapy may be needed in areas close to the skull base, orbits, cranial nerves, and vital blood vessels.

Problem. Although rare, sinonasal malignancies (SNM) can be lesions of immense importance. They produce few if any signs while the tumor is in its early stages. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the initial manifestations (eg, unilateral epistaxis, nasal obstruction) mimic signs and symptoms of many common but less serious conditions. Therefore, the patient and clinician often ignore or minimize the initial presentation of these tumors and treat early-stage malignancy as a benign sinonasal disorder. More...