MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez preparing for a second round of chemotherapy treatment in Cuba

The first cycle has been completed successfully, said the Venezuelan leader

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he was preparing for a second round of chemotherapy treatment in Cuba to eliminate the risk of malignant cells. Last weekend, Chavez flew back to Cuba for chemotherapy after delegating limited powers to his finance minister and vice president.

The announcement by the 56-year-old populist leader that he had surgery in Havana last month to remove a baseball-sized tumour has called into question his fitness to run for re-election next year.

“I have completed the first cycle of chemotherapy treatment ... this cycle was completed successfully,” he said in a phone call to a televised meeting of his ruling Socialist Party.

“We are preparing for a second cycle ... to totally defeat and eliminate any risk of the presence of malignant cells.”

The Finance minister said this week he had “no doubt” Chavez would be a candidate at next year's presidential poll.

Parliamentary elections last September showed the country split down the middle between Chavez supporters and opponents. Now, a fractious opposition coalition senses a chance to unseat a convalescing Chavez in 2012.

Venezuela is a leading producer of oil, member of OPEC and among the main suppliers of the United States.

In related news the Brazilian press revealed why President Chavez finally did not opt for the chemotherapy treatment at the world famous Syrian-Lebanese hospital in Sao Paulo that had been offered by President Dilma Rousseff.

According to the Sao Paulo press hospital officials refused to have “the hospital converted into a military garrison” as the security people from President Chavez demanded.

Another difficulty was the transparency policy of the famous hospital. In effect, “medical reports on Chavez condition are strictly controlled”, according to the press and the hospital authorities were not going to accept changes in their policy.

Among the list of distinguished patients of the Syrian-Lebanese hospital are President Dilma Rousseff, Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo and former Brazilian Vice president Alencar.