Former President of the Republic Ricardo Martinelli underwent a third surgery on the afternoon of this Wednesday, May 17, for ailments in his spine, reported his co-supporter Luis Eduardo Camacho.

Camacho, through his Twitter account, explained that the former president underwent this third surgical intervention on the recommendation of his doctors.

He added that Martinelli recently suffered a relapse of his “spine problems,” which forced him to cancel a scheduled national tour.

According to Camacho, Martinelli was transferred to the operating room at 1:15 p.m. and surgery began at 2:13 p.m.

The procedure, Camacho said, included a prosthesis to replace a damaged disc, the placement of six screws and two bars. The operation concluded at 6:30 p.m.

The leader is one of the presidential candidates of the Realizando Metas party, of which he is also one of its founders.

Martinelli and 19 other people must attend the hearing on the New Business case next Tuesday, May 23. The original date of this hearing was April 17, but it was suspended.