Lopez reports: "Recently re-elected president has undergone his fourth cancer-related surgery and his health is said to be 'delicate.'"



Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez is being treated for a respiratory deficiency after complications from a severe lung infection weeks after undergoing a cancer-related surgery. (photo: Ariana Cubillos/AP)

Venezuelan Leaders Gather at Bedside of Hugo Chavez

By Virginia Lopez, Guardian UK

Recently re-elected president has undergone his fourth cancer-related surgery and his health is said to be 'delicate'

enior Venezuelan leaders have gathered in Cuba where Hugo Chávez is recovering from his fourth cancer-related surgery, amid growing speculation that the recently re-elected president will be unable to attend the 10 January inauguration of his fourth term in power.

Diosdado Cabello, the president of the National Assembly, and Chávez's brother Adan, a regional governor, joined the vice-president, Nicolas Maduro, in Havana where Chávez underwent surgery three weeks ago.

Maduro described Chávez's health as "delicate" after reporting on New Year's Eve that the oil-rich nation's leader had suffered a new complication from a respiratory infection.

On Wednesday night, Jorge Arreaza, the minister of science and technology and Chávez's son-in-law, wrote on Twitter that the president was stable despite his serious condition. "Commander Chávez continues to fight hard, and sends all his love for our fatherland," he wrote.

But there have been no official announcements on the president's health, and in the absence of any facts Venezuelans are facing growing uncertainty over the health of their leader, and the future of their country.

The constitution stipulates that if Chávez were unable to take power, presidential elections must be called within 30 days.

But Cabello, the current head of the legislative body, has said the constitution leaves room to interpret that the oath into power could be taken at a later time and in an undetermined place. Cabello has repeatedly said that President Chávez is Venezuela's only legitimate leader and that the date of the inauguration can be extended until Chávez is fit to govern.

On Thursday, the minister for information, Ernesto Villegas, asked Globovision to issue a correction after the TV news channel referred to Maduro as the president in charge.

"I would like to remind you that the only president in power of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is Hugo Chávez, who won the 7 October election with 8,191,132 votes", Villegas said in a letter to Globovision.

In a televised nationwide address before undergoing surgery, Chávez instructed that, according to the constitution, Maduro should take over power if he were unable to govern. He also asked Venezuelans to vote for Maduro when elections were held.