Indigenous tribes hold ceremonies for president as speculation grows about illness with unconfirmed claims of prostate cancer

This article is more than 9 years old

This article is more than 9 years old

Venezuela's president, Hugo Chávez, has received a spiritual tonic as indigenous tribes held traditional ceremonies praying for the swift recovery of "El Comandante".

Chávez was reportedly admitted to hospital in Cuba on 10 June and is said to have undergone emergency pelvic surgery.

But his continued absence, and uncharacteristic silence, has triggered a flurry of rumours and conspiracy theories in and outside of Venezuela, including unconfirmed claims that he is suffering from prostate cancer or has slipped into a coma. On Sunday a group calling itself Wikileaks Argentina went as far as claiming on Twitter that Chávez had died of a heart attack.

With speculation reaching fever pitch, several hundred members of the Wayúu tribe convened for a pro-Chávez prayer session in Venezuela's north-western state of Zulia.

Satellite trucks from television channels surrounded a circle of red-clad tribesmen and women on Sunday as they engaged in a traditional yonna dance to the sound of drums and invoked spirits in support of their president.

"This is an act of love," said Noelí Pocaterra, an indigenous activist and MP from the Wayúu tribe, during the ceremony, broadcast live on the state-run station Venezolana de Television.

"Fuerza, presidente! We are waiting for you to return to us," Pocaterra added. "We want our president to return to keep fighting for the revolution and for socialism."

Pocaterra said the Wayúu people, one of Venezuela's largest indigenous groups, hoped to send "the best energies" to Chavez.

Speaking to the El Nacional newspaper, Venezuela's minister for indigenous affairs, Nicia Maldonado, said tribes around the country were mobilising to pray for Chávez's wellbeing. "The indigenous people have engaged in a campaign calling on their shamans to come together in prayer and to join forces in support of the recovery of the leader of the Bolivarian revolution," said Maldonado.

Venezuela's indigenous people were excited to see "the leader of the Bolivarian revolution … improving very favourably," she added.

As Wayúu Indians danced for their president, supporters angrily rebutted claims that Chávez's health was worse than has been admitted.

"President Chávez is recovering well from his surgery," Venezuela's vice-foreign minister Temir Porras said on Twitter. "His enemies should stop dreaming and his friends should stop worrying."

Another Chavez ally, Congresswoman Cilia Flores, told state television that Chavez "is fulfilling all of the responsibilities" under the constitution, and said she had spoken to him earlier in the day.

"He's energetically giving us instructions," she said.

Information Minister Andres Izarra told Union Radio that Chavez is recovering, adding: "We hope to have him here soon."

Izarra joked that some government opponents were suffering from what he called "Chavez abstinence syndrome."

While some opponents see Chávez's sudden disappearance as a sign that his condition could be serious, others believe that it may simply be a ploy to pave the way for a high-profile return on 5 July, when Venezuela celebrates 200 years of independence.

Barclays analysts Alejandro Grisanti and Alejandro Arreaza argued Chávez's absence could provide "an opportunity to make over his image before the presidential election."

"It is possible that President Chávez is not critically ill and could return to Venezuela soon, having used this time out of the public eye as a strategy ahead of the election.

"This could be an opportunity for Chávez to change his image, create some kind of emotional link with his supporters, and help him reconnect with the rest of the country." The anxiety created by Chávez's absence would also allow the president to have the entire country's attention on his return to present a possibly more moderate image that could allow him to try to recover support, the note concluded.

John Magdaleno, a Venezuelan political scientist, said that with presidential elections in 2012, and Chávez's popularity on the slide, "it is plausible that the government is planning a triumphant comeback". He added: "Polls show that for the first time in 13 years people are beginning to blame the president for the problems the country faces, [in terms of] insecurity and nationwide power outages.

"He is not doing well in polls, and people are beginning to increase his quota of responsibility."

Magdaleno said Chávez's absence had reinforced his dominance of Venezuelan politics. "No leaders within or outside chavismo have emerged in his absence," he added.

• This article was amended on 28 June 2011. A subheading in the original referred to "prostrate cancer". This has been corrected.