CARACAS (Reuters) Рthe Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, arrived on Friday to Cuba and was received by President Ra̼l Castro to operate from an injury that could be carcinogenic, hoping to soon return to Caracas to retake the reins of the oil country.
a source diplomatic told Reuters that Chavez arrived at 2015 local time (0115 GMT Saturday) and traveled to the island accompanied by his three daughters, the Minister of health, Eugenia Sader, and Chancellor Nicolás Maduro, among other government officials. There were no statements to the press.
Minutes later, Chavez said from Havana that was a trip “nice, tasty” and “without incident” in a telephone call to the Venezuelan State TV.
“Was with Raul (Castro), now we talked awhile and now I will see the doctors.” “I associate myself with the plan, tomorrow, this weekend, will make studies, tests and preparations for surgery, and God willing, everything will go well,” said Chávez in the program “contragolpe”
The representative added that the Minister of health will be in charge to announce some details of his health, surgery and treatment.
“Tomorrow (Saturday) will be a day of assessments, evaluations, tests and corresponding preparations, but I have faith that everything will go well, I am sure that we are going to defeat this adversity,” he added.
Chavez said this week that will be operated the first days of next week in Havana of an injury in the same place was where removed last year a malignant tumor about the size of a baseball.
Embraced by his youngest daughter, Rosinés, who cried, and surrounded by Ministers, military chiefs and officials, Chávez gave a farewell message chain of radio and television from the Presidential Palace of Miraflores, in Venezuela.
Left in caravan at the airport and leaned by the sunroof of the car which transported it, waved to thousands of people gathered in the streets to greet him, shouting slogans of support to them and give you present.
“With cancer or no cancer, with water or no water, rain, snow or shine, nothing and no one can avoid the new great victory on October 7.” Now more that we are never obliged to live, succeed. “Forced to overcome to ensure peace for Venezuela,” said the 57-year-old retired military.
“To me it doesn’t but entrust them the House.” The post of command remains in the hands of you Dear soldiers, military home, my honor guard, heroic soldiers, welded (…)”I commend the House,” added.
Chavez surprised on Tuesday by announcing that he intended to be operated again from an injury in the same place was where removed a cancerous tumour last year, situation that shook the political scenario of the South American nation.
Venezuelans will go to the polls on October 7 to decide if Chavez continues to the leadership of the country for another six years or if it comes to power an opposition front after 13 uninterrupted years of leadership of the Socialist ruling.
Chavez has remained adamant that compete for re-election, even though in recent days he has said it is high the probability that is malignant injury found, two centimeters and in the same area that was detected the cancer last year and which had been declared cured.
A medical source familiar with the treatment of Chávez told Reuters that will undergo an exploratory operation, because in the second intervention practiced emergency in June it would not have been possible to conduct a thorough search in the pelvic area to detect other formations.
The prognosis is delicate, since there is a high probability that concerned the same evil that was him detected last year, with tumor relapse, i.e., cancer cells could have multiplied again forming another tumor, he explained.
Before boarding the plane to Havana, the loquacious President returned to go to the country and from the airport said with broken voice: “as well as last year not missed on July 5 (to the celebration of the anniversary of the independence of Venezuela), I promise that I either fail to October 7”.
“I’m going, but again and again with more life than ever, surrounded by her three daughters after saying goodbye to his high military command and Ministers expressed.
While not instructed formally power Vice President ElÃas Jaua as requested by the opposition, Chavez delegated political tasks to the President of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, and the Mayor of Caracas, Jorge Rodriguez, considered part of the wing hard chavism.
Mass, songs and conventions
Supporters of Chávez organized a series of religious ceremonies on Friday to ask for the restoration of the health of the agent.
“Today we ask la Chinita (Virgin of Chiquinquirá) us cure Chávez because what we need is strong”, said Omar Prieto, Mayor of the municipality San Francisco in the Zulia State West.
Before leaving, Chavez held a meeting with a Chinese delegation, with which it signed a series of agreements. Beijing is the second trading partner of Venezuela, after United States.
(Additional report of Tomas Buitrago and Chinea Eyanir in Caracas and Nelson Acosta in Havana); (Edited by Silene RamÃrez)
