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Venezuelans urged to ignore rumours that Hugo Chávez is on brink of death Venezuelans urged to ignore rumours that Hugo Chávez is on brink of death
(about 1 hour later)
Venezuela's vice-president was due to fly back on Wednesday from the Cuban hospital bed of Hugo Chávez after warning his compatriots to ignore "enemy" rumours of the president's imminent demise. Venezuela's vice-president, Nicolás Maduro, has told the country to ignore "enemy" rumours of president Hugo Chávez's imminent demise.
Nicolás Maduro returns to a Caracas gripped by uncertainty about the wellbeing of a leader who has dominated the country's political landscape since 1999, but not been seen in public since he rushed to Havana for emergency cancer surgery three weeks ago. Maduro has been at Chávez's bedside in a Cuban hospital but was due to fly home to Caracas on Wednesday.
Several new year festivities have been cancelled, masses have been arranged for supporters to pray for the recovery of Chávez and the government has urged the populace to focus on serenity and unity. What many want, however, is definitive news on whether the president will be healthy enough to be sworn in to his fourth term in office on 10 January. Maduro returns to a country gripped by uncertainty about the wellbeing of a leader who has dominated the political landscape since 1999, but has not been seen in public since he rushed to Havana for emergency cancer surgery three weeks ago.
On Tuesday night, Maduro, in a pre-recorded interview with regional broadcaster Telesur said Chávez was "conscious of how delicate his recovery was". Maduro, added that the president had urged him to keep the Venezuelan people informed "regardless of how hard the truth might be at times". Several new year festivities were cancelled, masses have been arranged for supporters to pray for Chávez's recovery and the government has urged Venezuela to focus on serenity and unity. What many want, however, is definitive news on whether the president will be healthy enough to be sworn in to his fourth term in office on 10 January.
"He's totally conscious of the complexity of his post-operative state and he expressly asked us … to keep the nation informed always, always with the truth, as hard as it may be in certain circumstances," Maduro said. On Tuesday night, Maduro, in a pre-recorded interview with regional broadcaster Telesur, said Chávez was "conscious of how delicate his recovery was" and that the president had urged him to keep the Venezuelan people informed "regardless of how hard the truth might be at times".
The previous night, Maduro said in a televised address that Chávez had suffered "new complications from a respiratory infection", and described the leader's health as "delicate". He gave no further details but said that during Chávez had held his hand with great vigour, and that his face was filled with "gigantic strength". Maduro said: "He's totally conscious of the complexity of his post-operative state and he expressly asked us … to keep the nation informed always, always with the truth, as hard as it may be in certain circumstances."
"At times there have been slight improvements, at times there have been stationary situations," Maduro said adding that he had faith that Chávez would emerge sooner rather than later from "the situation he is confronting". Maduro said in a televised address on Monday that Chávez had suffered "new complications from a respiratory infection" and described the leader's health as "delicate". He said Chávez had held his hand with great vigour and that his face was filled with "gigantic strength".
The news of Chávez's deteriorating health and the cancelled festivities prompted a flurry of tweets and messages on social networks that claimed that Chávez's was on life support and even some that read that his days were numbered. "At times, there have been slight improvements, at times there have been stationary situations," Maduro said, adding that he had faith that Chávez would emerge sooner rather than later from "the situation he is confronting".
The news of Chávez's deteriorating health and the cancelled events prompted a flurry of tweets and messages on social networks that claimed Chávez was on life support and his days were numbered.
The wave of rumours reached such intensity that Chávez's son-in-law and minister of science and technology, Jorge Arreaza, tweeted from Havana asking Venezuelans to ignore the ill-intentioned rumours.The wave of rumours reached such intensity that Chávez's son-in-law and minister of science and technology, Jorge Arreaza, tweeted from Havana asking Venezuelans to ignore the ill-intentioned rumours.
In Tuesday's interview, Maduro, who was named by Chávez as his preferred political heir should he become to ill to govern, referred to the mounting rumours as the result of "the hatred of the enemies of Venezuela". In Tuesday's interview, Maduro, who was named by Chávez as his preferred political heir should he become too ill to govern, referred to the mounting rumours as the result of "the hatred of the enemies of Venezuela".
"What is behind these lies? Evil and hatred. Rightwing journalists sickened with hatred. They have no limits. They don't know how to respect the feelings of (the president's) daughters. They are capable of mockery, and in doing so they reveal their sickened souls", Maduro added. He said: "What is behind these lies? Evil and hatred. Rightwing journalists sickened with hatred. They have no limits. They don't know how to respect the feelings of [the president's] daughters. They are capable of mockery and, in doing so, they reveal their sickened souls."
As the oil-rich nation contemplated the possibility that Chávez might be unable to assume power next week, the wave of rumours have come to include claims that Chávez's closest allies are divided and that succession might not be smooth. As the oil-rich nation contemplated the possibility that Chávez might be unable to assume power next week, some rumours claimed Chávez's closest allies were divided and succession might not be smooth. According to the constitution, a snap election must be called within 30 days if the president should be unable to govern at the time of inauguration. Chávez previously asked the Venezuelan people to vote for Maduro in that eventuality, referring to him as the man capable of moving his self-styled socialist revolution forward.
According to the constitution, if the president should be unable to govern at the time of inauguration, a snap election must be called within 30 days. In that eventuality, Chávez previously asked the Venezuelan people to vote for Maduro, referring to him as the man capable of moving his self-styled socialist revolution forward. Following Maduro's interview, Diosdado Cabello, the president of the National Assembly, who some regard as second in line to power, tweeted that no one "in the Venezuelan opposition, nor their bosses abroad could attempt against the unwavering will of the revolutionary unity".
Following Maduro's interview, Diosdado Cabello, the president of the National Assembly and according to many the second in line to power, tweeted that no one, "in the Venezuelan opposition, nor their bosses abroad could attempt against the unwavering will of the revolutionary unity". However, Cabello, a former paratrooper who accompanied Chávez in his 1992 coup, has stated that Chávez is the country's only leader and the constitution allows for him to be sworn in at a later date. He said the will of more than 8 million people who voted Chávez into office in last October's election could not be ignored.
However, Cabello, a former paratrooper who accompanied Chávez in the 1992 coup, has stated that Chávez is the country's only leader and that if need be the constitution also contemplates that he could be sworn in at a later date, adding that the will of the more than 8 million people who voted Chávez into office in last October's election could not be ignored.