MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez with an impressive military display says he’s back, but many doubts linger

Troops painted with the national colours march along the streets of Caracas

Venezuela president Hugo Chavez thanked his peers from Uruguay, Bolivia and Paraguay for having attended the Tuesday bicentenary celebrations of the country’s independence, a huge military parade with an arch-display of soldiers in colonial uniforms to some with probably the most modern combat gear of the region.

“For my soul, our soul, our spirit, for our struggle for life this is a very powerful and inspiring message, your presence here with me, my good friends, my good companions”, said Chavez on receiving the leaders in the presidential Miraflores Palace from where he and his guests followed on a screen the celebrations.

Uruguay’s Jose Mujica, Paraguay’s Fernando Lugo and Bolivia’s Evo Morales arrived in Caracas on the Venezuelan presidential aircraft which was specially sent to pick up the three heads of state without virtually any previous notice.

Chavez early Monday returned unexpectedly from Cuba where on his own admission underwent two serious surgeries linked to a pelvic cancer tumour, of which no further details have been given.

Chavez arrived in Cuba early June and only returned to Caracas a month later for the grand celebration following growing demands from the opposition to inform the people of Venezuela what was really happening and for the Vice-president to respect the constitution and take over as caretaker president.

The official television network showed Chavez with his two daughters Rosa and Rosines, as he presented the visiting leaders the medical team that is looking after his recovery.

“Here we are, moving ahead, living and we will be victorious, this is the beginning of the return” said Chavez dressed in a blue suit and with the presidential sash in the country’s colours on the launching of the parade.

However contrary to his loquacious tradition this time Chavez 34 minutes long speech was a rare occasion since he has had national television and radio broadcast uninterruptedly for almost eight hours his political harangues.

Furthermore political analysts are not only baffled by his surprise return, which some of his opponents describe as a theatrical mise-en-scene, but also with the language the fiery leader has been using since he again landed in Caracas.

Before and in anticipation of next year’s presidential election he would threaten to squash, liquidate, obliterate and “turn into cosmic dust” his political enemies; now however he is calling on his followers “we must defeat them and defeat them in peace”.

“I’m again a cadet” said jokingly Chavez admitting now he must obey orders and keep to a strict way of life that includes a diet, daily medical controls, physical exercise and a drastic reduction of the litres of coffee the tenacious hyper-active leader use to consume.

The parade was followed by thousands who turned to the streets of Caracas, mostly dressed in red shirts as a symbol of support to the populist leader.

But in spite of the impressive military display to recall victory at the battle of Carabobo which marked the end of Spanish domination 200 years ago, many doubts remain as to the graveness of Chavez (56) medical situation and who would or could succeed him to lead his cherished Bolivarian revolution he has been preaching and implementing for the last twelve years and ahead of another presidential bid in 2012.