Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez returned to Cuba early Monday for emergency surgery after designating Vice President Nicholas Maduro as his replacement should he become incapacitated, official sources said.
Cuban doctors had urged Chavez to undergo surgery over the
weekend at the latest, after detecting a recurrence of cancer, but
he apparently postponed the procedure to entrust his government to
his closest aide, who also serves as Foreign Minister. Cuban
President Raul Castro welcomed him Monday, and Ecuador's President
Rafael Correa arrived in Havana to visit President Chavez.
"We came to embrace him in the name of the Ecuadorean
Fatherland," Correa said, adding it was "a gesture of solidarity."
Chile's President Sebastian Pinera expressed his support for
Chavez via Twitter, saying "due to the relapse of @chavezcandanga, I
wish him much faith, strength and a speedy recovery."
Venezuela's National Assembly Sunday approved the petition of
Chavez to travel to Cuba for the new surgery.
Chavez, 58, has been suffering from Pelvic cancer since 2011 and
has previously received two surgeries.
In a televised appearance Saturday night, Chavez named Maduro his
successor in case he is unable to fulfill his leadership
responsibilities, and asked Venezuelans to vote for Maduro to
succeed him as president. Venezuela's Constitution calls for
elections to be convened in 30 days if the president becomes
incapacitated.
"We must ensure the progress of the revolution, the victorious
march of the revolution, building the new country, building the
Venezuelan road to socialism, with broad participation and
freedoms," Chavez said.
