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| Venezuela's Hugo Chavez undergoes surgery, says Correa | Venezuela's Hugo Chavez undergoes surgery, says Correa |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Venezuela President Hugo Chavez is currently undergoing surgery for cancer in Cuba, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has said. | |
| Mr Chavez arrived in Havana on Monday for his fourth operation in 18 months. | |
| "My friend, Commander Hugo Chavez, is going through the toughest times of his life," Mr Correa was quoted as saying. | "My friend, Commander Hugo Chavez, is going through the toughest times of his life," Mr Correa was quoted as saying. |
| At the weekend Mr Chavez named Vice-President Nicolas Maduro as his choice to replace him. | At the weekend Mr Chavez named Vice-President Nicolas Maduro as his choice to replace him. |
| It was the first time that the Venezuelan leader had openly spoken about a possible successor. | It was the first time that the Venezuelan leader had openly spoken about a possible successor. |
| 'Delicate operation' | 'Delicate operation' |
| Mr Chavez had returned from cancer-related treatment in Cuba on Friday. | Mr Chavez had returned from cancer-related treatment in Cuba on Friday. |
| He left again from Caracas early on Monday after being granted permission by the National Assembly to leave the country for treatment. | He left again from Caracas early on Monday after being granted permission by the National Assembly to leave the country for treatment. |
| It is his third operation to remove cancerous tissue from the pelvic area. The illness was first detected during an initial surgery for a pelvic abscess in June 2011. | |
| President Correa visited Mr Chavez in Havana prior to his operation but has since returned to Ecuador. | President Correa visited Mr Chavez in Havana prior to his operation but has since returned to Ecuador. |
| Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr Correa said the surgery was "a very delicate operation". | Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr Correa said the surgery was "a very delicate operation". |
| During the weekend, Mr Chavez himself had acknowledged the seriousness of the situation after tests had detected more cancerous cells in the pelvic area. | During the weekend, Mr Chavez himself had acknowledged the seriousness of the situation after tests had detected more cancerous cells in the pelvic area. |
| "There are risks, Who can deny it?" he said in a televised speech on Saturday. | "There are risks, Who can deny it?" he said in a televised speech on Saturday. |
| Mr Chavez added that if his health failed and new elections had to be held, people should vote for Mr Maduro, a former bus driver and one of the president's closest advisers. | Mr Chavez added that if his health failed and new elections had to be held, people should vote for Mr Maduro, a former bus driver and one of the president's closest advisers. |
| "He is a complete revolutionary, a man of great experience despite his youth, with great dedication and capacity for work," Mr Chavez said. | "He is a complete revolutionary, a man of great experience despite his youth, with great dedication and capacity for work," Mr Chavez said. |
| Mr Chavez, who was re-elected in October for a fourth term as president, is due to begin his new six-year term in office on 10 January. | |
| The constitution states that should the president leave office in the first four years of his term, an election must be held within 30 days. | The constitution states that should the president leave office in the first four years of his term, an election must be held within 30 days. |