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Venezuela's Chavez undergoing cancer operation in Cuba | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Surgeons in Cuba have begun operating on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to remove cancerous tissue, Information Minister Ernesto Villegas has said. | |
It is the president's fourth cancer-related operation since June 2011. | |
At the weekend, Mr Chavez spoke for the first time about a possible successor, naming Vice-President Nicolas Maduro as his preferred candidate. | |
The medical team operating on Mr Chavez said they were "optimistic" about the outcome of the 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. | 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. |
'Delicate operation' | 'Delicate operation' |
Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa visited Mr Chavez in Havana prior to his operation but has since returned to Ecuador. | |
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, he said the surgery was "a very delicate operation". | |
"My friend and colleague, Commander Hugo Chavez, is going through the toughest times of his life," Mr Correa was quoted as saying. | "My friend and colleague, Commander Hugo Chavez, is going through the toughest times of his life," Mr Correa was quoted as saying. |
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. | |
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. | 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. |