MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez’ condition delicate after surgery, reveals Maduro and calls for unity in prayers

A grave faced Maduro made the announcement to the Venezuelan people

Despite earlier reports, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez is in delicate condition after his latest surgery for cancer, the government said on Wednesday.

Looking grave-faced in an address to the nation the day after Chavez's six-hour operation in Cuba, Vice President Nicolas Maduro urged Venezuelans to unite in prayer for the 58-year-old president and keep faith that he would return soon.

“Yesterday's operation was complex, difficult and delicate, so the post-operation process will also be a complex and tough process,” Maduro said, flanked by ministers who flew in overnight after accompanying Chavez in hospital.

He spoke of “difficult” times ahead.

Chavez's downturn opens uncertainty over the future of his Bolivarian in a nation of 29 million people with the world's largest oil reserves.

Maduro, whom Chavez has named as a preferred successor should he be incapacitated, offered no medical details but urged Venezuelans to stay hopeful.

“With God's help we will overcome and sooner rather than later we will have our commander president here,” he said.

The stakes are also enormous for allies around Latin America and the Caribbean who rely on Chavez's generous oil subsidies and other aid. President Raul Castro's family government in Cuba is particularly vulnerable because of its dependence on more than 100,000 barrels of oil per day from Venezuela.

The operation was Chavez's fourth in Havana since mid-2011 for a recurring cancer in the pelvic region.

Opposition leaders have criticized the government for lack of transparency, pointing out that other Latin American leaders provided detailed reports of both diagnoses and treatments.

Chavez changed the panorama before flying to Cuba by urging Venezuelans to vote for Maduro should an election be triggered by his departure from office. The president is due to start a new, six-year term on January 10 after his October re-election.

Supporters have been holding prayer vigils, while opponents also sent Chavez best wishes for a successful recovery.

The Chavez health saga has eclipsed the buildup to regional elections on Sunday that will be an important test of political forces in Venezuela at such a pivotal moment.

Of most interest in the 23 state elections is opposition leader Henrique Capriles' bid to retain the Miranda governorship against a challenge from former Vice President Elias Jaua.

Polls have been mixed with one showing Capriles way ahead and another giving Jaua a 5 percentage point lead.

Capriles must win if he is to retain credibility and be the opposition's presidential candidate-in-waiting should Chavez's cancer force a new election. Even though it may be premature, many Venezuelans already are asking themselves what a Capriles versus Maduro presidential election would be like.

Though he lost to Chavez in October, Capriles made a strong showing after a year of crisscrossing the nation to make himself known to Venezuelans.