Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos denies health problems after 'wetting himself' during televised speech

Santos underwent surgery to remove a tumour in his prostate in 2012

Heather Saul
Wednesday 19 March 2014 12:15 GMT
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Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos speaks during a campaign rally at the Tomas Arrieta baseball stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, Sunday, March 16, 2014.  Santos, who is running for re-election, said on a televised statement on Tuesday, March 18, that he suffered an accident of incontinence product of surgery he underwent a year and a half ago to remove prostate cancer, that according to his doctor the accident is normal in patients who have suffered such intervention and that his health is optimal.
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos speaks during a campaign rally at the Tomas Arrieta baseball stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, Sunday, March 16, 2014. Santos, who is running for re-election, said on a televised statement on Tuesday, March 18, that he suffered an accident of incontinence product of surgery he underwent a year and a half ago to remove prostate cancer, that according to his doctor the accident is normal in patients who have suffered such intervention and that his health is optimal.

The Colombian president has denied he is suffering from any health problems after he appeared to wet himself during a speech in Barranquilla.

President Juan Manuel Santos has since taken to Twitter to thank Colombians for their understanding following the incident.

Footage of his re-election speech which appeared to show a stain growing on the politician's trousers quickly went viral this week, leading to speculation over his health.

In a televised statement on Tuesday, the 62-year-old explained that he had suffered an accident of incontinence, which he said was a product of surgery he underwent in 2012 to remove a tumour in his prostate.

He stressed that his health was optimal and his doctor had assured him such accidents are normal among patients who have suffered from prostate cancer, adding that he was used to these incidents.

"What I'm not going to accept is speculation that I am not fit to run for presidency," he continued.

Doctors gave him a 97 per cent chance of survival rate at the time of his diagnosis. Upon leaving the hospital after the operation in October 2012, he told reporters that the tumour had not metastasized, meaning that he was "totally cured".

Urinary incontinence is a common side effect in men who undergo surgery or treatment for prostate cancer.

Santos, who graduated from the London School of Economics was elected as the President of Colombia in 2010.

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