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THE BROTHER OF Hugo Chavez has denied that the ailing Venezuelan president is in coma, saying the Venezuelan leader is responding well to cancer treatment in Cuba and making progress on a daily basis.
“Reports that the president is in a coma and that the family is discussing ending life support, are totally false,” Adan Chavez, governor of the state of Barinas, said in a statement on Saturday.
He “continues to respond well to his medical care and to make daily progress in his recovery.”
Chavez, whose OPEC-member nation controls the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has been out of the public eye since undergoing surgery in Havana on 11 December. It is the fourth such operation in the 18 months since his condition was made public.
Previously, officials said the fiery leftist leader was suffering from a severe pulmonary infection that resulted in a “respiratory insufficiency”. That fueled speculation about his prospects for a full recovery – and his political future.
A recent report in the Spanish newspaper ABC said the Venezuelan president was in an induced coma and on life support.
Inauguration postponed
The uncertainty surrounding Chavez’s condition has unsettled Venezuela.
The government was forced to postpone the president’s scheduled inauguration on Thursday, as it became clear that he could not attend. Authorities insist the country’s constitution allows Chavez to take the oath of office at a later time.
But the opposition has objected, calling for a medical board to review the absent leader’s health – a demand rejected by the Supreme Court, which said the delayed swearing-in was constitutional.
In Cuba on Saturday, President Raul Castro voiced his support for the Venezuelan leadership, his government’s closest and most critical economic and political ally.
Castro’s comments came during a meeting with Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro, who arrived in the Cuban capital late Friday to visit Chavez.
Raul Castro “expressed his confidence in the ability of the Venezuelan people and their institutions to address and overcome any challenge,” a government statement said.
“Raul and Maduro shared their mutual satisfaction with the emotional demonstration of support for Venezuela and President Chavez on January 10 in Caracas,” it added, in a reference to a mass rally on the Venezuelan capital.
South American leaders
Two Chavez allies, Argentine President Cristina Kirchner and Peruvian President Ollanta Humala, also arrived in Havana on Friday.
“We all hope for a quick recovery,” Humala said.
Kirchner refused to comment on Chavez’s health when asked by reporters Saturday, saying it should be left to his family. She did, however, thank Castro, 86, for hosting a luncheon for her in his home the previous day.
Castro has been sidelined by health problems and rarely appears in public since stepping down as president of the communist country in 2006.
Support
Chavez’s illness was first detected in June 2011. But the charismatic leader, who has been in power for 14 years, has refused to relinquish the powers of the presidency, even when leaving for Cuba for his latest surgery.
Venezuela’s constitution says new elections must be held within 30 days if the president-elect or president dies or is permanently incapacitated before he takes office or in the first four years of his six-year term.
A large concert featuring about 20 music groups was held in the Venezuelan capital late Saturday in a show of solidarity with the cancer-stricken leader.
But the Venezuelan opposition used the weekend to protest last week’s Supreme Court decision to legitimize the postponement of Chavez’s inauguration, saying the Venezuelan constitution was violated.
“Nobody was sworn in to take power in this country,” opposition mayor of the town of Baruta Gerardo Blyde said at one of the rallies. “We are witnessing the beheading of the republic.”
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Hopefully the poor man makes a full recovery. The man is a true great.
He has done more for Venezuela and the people than the the previous right wing extremist governments there.
Hopefully the US does not use the situation to stage another coup there.
I can’t claim to know anything about the man, but how can you claim that he has done great things for Venezuela when he won’t even use the health system that he is ultimately in charge of?
Threw out large multinational oil companies and publicised the nations oil funnelling money to subsidise food, literacy programmes and health care. Pretty cool In my estimation.
I’ve read a bit about him since my previous comment, and I have to say he seems to have done wonderful things for Venezuela. If only Ireland had a few more like him.
But I still find there’s a hint of hypocrisy to use another country’s health care system while expecting your own people to be satisfied with the one you’re running.
He should step down as leader, a socialist tyrant who ruined any chance of investment in Venezuela .
So replace a man who helps the poor, with a government for the benefit of businesses to invest & make profit from the poor!!! Yeah great idea…!
Lets see Chavez’s record according to the guardian;
• Unemployment has dropped from 14.5% of the total labour force in 1999 to 7.6%
• Population has increased from 23,867,000 in 1999 to 29,278,000 in 2011.
• GDP per capita has risen from $4,105 to $10,801 in 2011
• Poverty has decreased – in 1999, 23.4% of the population were recorded as being in extreme poverty, this fell to 8.5% in 2011.
• Infant mortality is now lower than in 1999 – from a rate of 20 per 1,000 live births then to a rate of 13 per 1,000 live births in 2011
• Oil exports have boomed – Venezuela has one of the top proven oil reserves in the world and in 2011 Opec put the country’s net oil export revenues at $60bn. In 1999 it stood at $14.4bn. With that oil money is spent on eduction, health program’s, food programmes etc
What an evil bastard……!!!!
Right so replace a man who helps the poor, with a government for the benefit of businesses to invest & make profit from the poor!!! Yeah great idea…!
Lets see Chavez’s record according to the guardian;
• Unemployment has dropped from 14.5% of the total labour force in 1999 to 7.6%
• Population has increased from 23,867,000 in 1999 to 29,278,000 in 2011.
• GDP per capita has risen from $4,105 to $10,801 in 2011
• Poverty has decreased – in 1999, 23.4% of the population were recorded as being in extreme poverty, this fell to 8.5% in 2011.
• Infant mortality is now lower than in 1999 – from a rate of 20 per 1,000 live births then to a rate of 13 per 1,000 live births in 2011
• Oil exports have boomed – Venezuela has one of the top proven oil reserves in the world and in 2011 Opec put the country’s net oil export revenues at $60bn. In 1999 it stood at $14.4bn. With that oil money is spent on eduction, health program’s, food programmes etc
What an evil bastard……
http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/IE/VE
Shorter life expectancy, much lower wages , employment is higher due only to state run quangos, so versus the apparantly “terrible” state of ireland, youll live longer , have more money and more freedom in Ireland.
Its foolish to think anyone would he better off in Venezuela, they have oil money but chavez’s corrupt government squanders the money amongst themselves , leaving everyone else poor
Some economic stats- oil rich Venezuela vs resource poor Chile.
http://www.nationmaster.com/compare/Chile/Venezuela/Economy
In addition to these as a Venezuelan you are more likely to be illiterate, die younger, a victim of homicide, imprisoned and unemployed. Also, Venezuela has much higher rates of infant mortality.
Chavez is getting treatment in Cuba because he and his cronies have been lining their pockets rather than investing in healthcare. Ordinary Venezuelans don’t have the option of seeking healthcare in Cuba.
Stephen,
And replace him with right-wing dictator? You support such a dictatorship? The hypocrisy of the neo-cons!
He was democratically elected Stephen. I know this doesn’t meet with your state of mind but in some countries, people disregard scaremongering from the neo-cons and vote based upon democratic accord. In Ireland, people based upon threats from the rich. The conservatives insult when they don’t get the result they like.
Chavez is a tyrant who has manipulated the poor of Venezuela for too long. Despite virtually unlimited oil wealth he has left the country an economic basket case with huge income inequality and widespread poverty.
Only the most blinkered lefties will mourn his passing.
That’s why they keep voting him back in I suppose ?
William, your comment got a majority of negative votes. The fact you lambast a democratically elected leader suggests you are a right-wing taker.
He’s gonzo. 4th operation for cancer, clutching at straws.
Good riddance to bad rubbish may the people of Venezuela finally be free.
To be exploited yet again by American multinationals…
He was democratically elected. Were you born yesterday Cian Doherty?
Bullsh1t cian . Is your auntie on her way back over there now to help the multinationals candidate .
have your say