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Doubts about Chavez true health condition re-surface as he leaves for surgery in Cuba

Thursday, February 23rd 2012 - 04:25 UTC
Full article 4 comments
A stoic Chavez played down the doubts  A stoic Chavez played down the doubts

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez imminent departure for more cancer surgery in Cuba has thrown his re-election campaign into uncertainty and once again shaken the populist leader's passionate supporters.

Though the 57-year-old former soldier looked stoic and played down the dangers of his latest condition, the announcement inevitably raises questions over his ability to stand for the Oct. 7 presidential vote - or rule beyond it.

Chávez, who has dominated Venezuela since taking office in 1999 and whose fierce anti-US rhetoric has turned him into one of the world's best-known leaders, said he will head back to Havana for the next operation by the weekend.

He said a two-centimetre lesion had been discovered in his pelvis where surgeons removed a baseball-sized tumour in June, and that there was a high probability it was malignant.

His challenger for the presidency in October, opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, was quick to wish Chávez well.

“I wish my rival a successful operation, a quick recovery and a long life,” Capriles, the 39-year-old governor of Miranda state, said on Wednesday in a careful tweet.

Capriles, who won the Democratic Unity coalition's primary this month, does not want to give any impression he is exulting in Chávez health problems. He wants to focus on issues such as crime and unemployment, rather than a head-to-head battle.

Chávez new surgery could hardly have come at a worse time for the government because Capriles - a centre-left politician who exudes youth and energy - picked up momentum from his primary win and the campaigns were just starting to heat up.
 

Categories: Politics, Latin America.

Top Comments

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  • Stefan

    Fingers crossed this communist bites it.

    Feb 23rd, 2012 - 08:31 pm 0
  • ChrisR

    I have not changed my prediction that I made three months ago (12 months max): he now has nine months.

    The chemo has been exhausted and failed. By the look of his flushed and heavy jowled face hes has been on steroids which is always the last chance at supercharging the immune system. That has failed.

    Regrettably, I have seen all this before. We will soon see.

    If he thought anything of his family he should resign now and spend as much time with them before he regrets it.

    Feb 23rd, 2012 - 09:05 pm 0
  • kbec

    If he wasn't so anti-western he could probably go to America and get the life saving surgery he needs. Instead he has to go to Cuba - lets face it he's doomed.

    Feb 24th, 2012 - 01:13 am 0
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