SÃO PAULO, Brazil – Brazilian Vice President José Alencar is in stable condition after suffering a heart attack on Nov. 11, according to media reports.

Alencar, who was hospitalized at São Paulo’s Hospital Sírio-Libanês, was transferred from the intensive care unit to an intermediate care unit on Nov. 12, physicians reported.

The vice president has been hospitalized for an intestinal blockage since Oct. 25.

“[Alencar] is in stable condition from a cardiac viewpoint and continues treatment for the intestinal tumor,” the hospital said in a statement.

Alencar, who has battled cancer for over 10 years, is undergoing chemotherapy treatment and has undergone 15 operations to remove tumors in a kidney, stomach and prostate.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva visited Alencar, 79, for 30 minutes after arriving in São Paulo from Seoul, where he attended the G20 summit. He was accompanied by President-elect Dilma Rousseff.

[Larepublica.pe (Peru), 12/11/2010; Lanacion.com.py (Paraguay), 13/11/2010; europapress.es (Spain), 12/11/2010]