Brazil's foreign minister resigns due to medical reasons

Published March 16, 2017

FILE - In this July 25, 2016, file photo, the Foreign Minister of Brazil Jose Serra speaks during a joint press conference with his Mexican counterpart Claudia Ruiz Massieu in Mexico City. Serra has resigned from his post on Feb. 22, 2017, citing undisclosed medical reasons. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File) (The Associated Press)

Brazil's foreign minister has resigned from his post, citing undisclosed medical reasons.

Jose Serra says in a Wednesday night letter to President Michel Temer that he needs at least four months to recover from a disease he doesn't identify. He also says he could not travel as much as needed or perform day-to-day work properly as foreign minister.

Serra is a key leader of the center-right Brazilian Social Democracy Party. He has run for president twice and lost both times in runoff elections. He was defeated by former union leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2002, and eight years later lost to former guerrilla Dilma Rousseff.

Some in Serra's party still consider the 74-year-old senator to be a presidential hopeful.

Serra became foreign minister last May.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/world/brazils-foreign-minister-resigns-due-to-medical-reasons