CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez strode, sang and gave a rousing speech on Friday in a careful show of vigor after his latest cancer treatment in Cuba fanned rumors he was dying five months before an election.
The socialist
Chavez, who had only been seen live in public once in the previous
month, addressed the nation after flying back from Havana where he has
completed six rounds of radiation therapy.
With Venezuelans
watching on live TV for any sign of his condition, Chavez walked with
relative ease from his plane, hugged ministers, inspected a military
guard and improvised a song at the end of a 20-minute speech.
"I can tell you
that in the last few days we successfully completed the radiation cycle,
as planned by the medical team," Chavez said in a strong voice.
"I come with great
optimism that this treatment will have the effects we hope for, always
asking God to help us and give us the miracle of life to keep serving."
But there is speculation, stoked by leaks from pro-opposition journalists citing sources in Chavez's medical team, that his condition may have turned grave.
HIGH STAKES
The implications of
that would be enormous for the South American OPEC member nation that
Chavez has dominated for the last 13 years without grooming a successor.
Rumors have been
flying of a nascent succession struggle among his closest allies.
Meanwhile, opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles is
struggling to win public attention amid the national obsession over
Chavez's condition.
Without giving any clues as to the details of his cancer, Chavez said he must continue "rigorously" following medical instructions in coming days.
"But as the hours
and days pass, I'm sure that with God's favor, medical science and this
soldier's body, I will get back to where I must be, in the front line of
the battle, alongside the Venezuelan people, promoting the socialist
revolution." continue reading
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