Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin will assume some of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's commitments, as the latter recovers from surgery, Lula's press office confirmed to Globo.

Among other things, Alckmin will be the one welcoming Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico later today, with the two expected to hold discussions.

Previously, Lula was operated on after experiencing headaches, with the medics performing a craniotomy to drain a hematoma. The Brazilian head of state suffered an accident at home earlier in October.