Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces Party. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Recent rumors alleging that Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces (LF) party, suffered a heart attack have been denied by the head of the party's media office Charles Jabbour.
The party's media department also denied the rumors in a statement on Tuesday, saying "the news is completely false."
A rumor alleging that Geagea suffered a heart attack and that he was at the hospital had been circulating heavily on social media since Monday.
"Some groups with an exposed identity and known orientation are circulating news about the health of the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Dr. Samir Geagea. This reflects the mentality and psychology of these groups," LF's statement said.
"We reassure our loved ones that the health of the head of the [Lebanese] Forces is very good and he is continuing his intensive activity as usual from the command headquarters in Maarab," the statement added.
Geagea's wife, Sethrida Geagea, posted a picture with her husband on X following the spread of the rumor.
It remains unclear how and who started the rumor.
Jabbour told L'Orient Today that "documented and pictured recent activities will show that these are mere rumors, behind which stands a machine that operates only to produce such rumors."
"The rope of a lie is short," Jabbour added, quoting an Arabic proverb which means the truth will eventually prevail.
"The evidence that this is a lie will be revealed, in video and audio," Jabbour added, pointing to a press release of the annual dinner of the "Upper Metn Coordination Committee of the Lebanese Forces Party," which was held at the party's headquarters in Maarab on Tuesday evening and was headed by Geagea.
Photos from the dinner, in which Geagea is shown, were attached to the press release on the LF's website.
Almost 10 years ago, also in August, rumors surrounding Geagea's health also spread, similarly, claiming that he suffered a heart attack. At the time, Geagea denied the rumors, saying via local TV channel MTV, "I reassure everyone that I am in good health and doing my work as usual at the Lebanese Forces headquarters in Maarab."
"I don't know the reason for making up this rumor," he added.
The leader of the LF, a militia created by late Bashir Gemayel and turned into a political party, was the only warlord who was held accountable for being part of the Lebanese Civil War that the 1989 Taif Accord had officially ended. Geagea remained behind bars for 11 years, three months and five days until he was freed on July 26, 2005.
Following his release, he sought medical care abroad before returning to Lebanon.
Currently, Geagea along with other political figures and factions remain in disagreement over who should be Lebanon's next head of state. The country has been without a president since the end of Michel Aoun's mandate in October 2022.