Reuters: Venezuela's Chavez re-elected to extend socialist rule

[visionary]

http://caracaschronicles.com/2012/12...ible-succesor/

BREAKING NEWS: Chavez will face another surgery, names Nicolas Maduro as his possible succesor (UPDATE)

In a televised address to the nation, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced that he will go into surgery in the next few days, after exams made in Havana found presence of new cancer cells.

He also named VP Nicolas Maduro as Chavismo’s presidential candidate in the case of a new presidential election.

Tonight, looks like the transition has finally begun. There’s no question about it.

Interesting, considering he just named Maduro his vp not so long ago.

http://www.extremeskins.com/showthre...=1#post9199203

[visionary]

https://twitter.com/mpoppel

REU: VENEZUELA'S CHAVEZ OUT OF CANCER OPERATION IN CUBA - VP MADURO
8:53 PM

REU: CHAVEZ'S SURGERY WAS 'COMPLICATED', LASTED MORE THAN SIX HOURS - VP MADURO
8:53 PM

REU: CHAVEZ'S POST-OPERATIVE PHASE WILL LAST DAYS - VP MADURO
8:53 PM

REU: CHAVEZ'S OPERATION WAS A COMPLETE SUCCESS - MADURO
8:54 PM

[morris84]

Amazing that a foreign country has an election and is deemed corrupt, but we have a voting system with no paper trails and you're labelled a cook if you think it can be corrupt. Amazing.

Was thinking the same thing. Glad you said it.

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...8BD1D420121214

Venezuela furious at Obama's comments on ailing Chavez

Venezuela's government reacted with fury on Friday to U.S. President Barack Obama's criticism of ailing Hugo Chavez's "authoritarian" government at a time of national anxiety over his battle to recover from cancer surgery.

In an interview with U.S. network Univision, Obama declined to speculate on the 58-year-old socialist president's health in Cuba, where he is in a delicate state after his fourth operation since mid-2011 for cancer in the pelvic region.

But he did say U.S. policy was aimed at ensuring "freedom" in Venezuela. "The most important thing is to remember that the future of Venezuela should be in the hands of the Venezuelan people. We've seen from Chavez in the past authoritarian policies, suppression of dissent," Obama told Univision.

Those remarks were a red cloth to officials in Caracas where emotions are running high over the future of Chavez and his self-styled revolution in the South American OPEC nation.

"With these despicable comments at such a delicate moment for Venezuela, the U.S. president is responsible for a major deterioration in bilateral relations, proving the continuity of his policy of aggression and disrespect towards our country," the Venezuelan government said in a statement.

[afkidd]

he's dead.

[mcsluggo]

he's dead.

you think he is already dead?

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

you think he is already dead?

Rumors are it's imminent. Like friends and family gathering at his bedside imminent.

Wonder what happens with Venezuela now.

[mcsluggo]

his stoolies take over. they have less charisma than hugo did, and teh economy is STILL in the crapper..so the the stoolies get hated and villified.

Hugo, on the other hand, is deified.... and the Venezuelans spend teh next 3 generations trying to cope with his legacy, as every second politician in the country evokes his memory and goes full populist. The country has the second biggest oil reserves on the planet, and will be largely stagnent for the next 40 years (the argentina growth model). hooray!

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

The way I understand it, there are two huge elements of society already beginning to battle for control. The civilian govt type and the military. A big reason Chavez was so popular and successful was because he was ex military and also very charismatic to the people. Supposedly there's nobody in play now who can play both sides like that. Be interesting to see what happens.

And I was watching a documentary yesterday on the Falkland Islands. You're probably onto something with the Argentina comparison.

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...90401U20130105

Chavez swearing-in can be delayed: Venezuelan VP

President Hugo Chavez's formal swearing-in for a new six-year term scheduled for January 10 can be postponed if he is unable to attend due to his battle to recover from cancer surgery, Venezuela's vice president said on Friday.

Nicolas Maduro's comments were the clearest indication yet that the Venezuelan government is preparing to delay the swearing-in while avoiding naming a replacement for Chavez or calling a new election in the South American OPEC nation.

In power since 1999, the 58-year-old socialist leader has not been seen in public for more than three weeks. Allies say he is in delicate condition after a fourth operation in two years for an undisclosed form of cancer in his pelvic area.

The political opposition argues that Chavez's presence on January 10 in Cuba - where there are rumors he may be dying - is tantamount to the president's stepping down.

But Maduro, waving a copy of the constitution during an interview with state TV, said there was no problem if Chavez was sworn in at a later date by the nation's top court.

"The interpretation being given is that the 2013-2019 constitutional period starts on January 10. In the case of President Chavez, he is a re-elected president and continues in his functions," he said.

"The formality of his swearing-in can be resolved in the Supreme Court at the time the court deems appropriate in coordination with the head of state."

[visionary]

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americ...199864374.html

Chavez ally elected as potential caretaker

Venezuela's National Assembly has re-elected the ruling party's Diosdado Cabello as its speaker, putting him in line to be caretaker president if Hugo Chavez does not recover from cancer surgery.

Cabello was retained as legislative leader in a vote by a show of hands on Saturday. Chavez's allies hold a majority of the 165 congressional seats.

"We will never defraud the people and we will get on our knees to defend the proposal made by comandante Chavez, I swear it," Cabello said as he took the oath of office.

The vote came as it appeared almost certain that illness will prevent Chavez from being sworn in on January 10 to a new six-year term. Controversial moves by the government have cleared the way for him to retain his powers anyway.

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...90D12320130114

Exclusive: Brazil wants Venezuela election if Chavez dies - sources

Brazil is urging Venezuela's government to hold elections as quickly as possible if President Hugo Chavez dies, senior officials told Reuters on Monday, a major intervention by Latin America's regional powerhouse that could help ensure a smoother leadership transition in Caracas.

Brazilian officials have expressed their wishes directly to Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro, the officials said on condition of anonymity. Chavez has designated Maduro as his preferred successor if he loses his battle with cancer.

"We are explicitly saying that if Chavez dies, we would like to see elections as soon as possible," one official said. "We think that's the best way to ensure a peaceful democratic transition, which is Brazil's main desire."

Chavez is in Cuba receiving cancer treatment and he has not been seen in public for a month, prompting speculation that he is near death.

Brazil is keeping the United States apprised of its efforts, and is hoping to convince Washington to allow it to take the lead in managing a potential leadership transition in Venezuela. Chavez is one of the world's most vocal anti-U.S. leaders, and the Brazilian officials said they fear that any direct U.S. intervention in Venezuelan affairs could backfire.

Venezuela's opposition is demanding that Chavez step aside and name a caretaker president while he recovers - but those complaints have so far been ignored by governments around the region, including the Rousseff administration.

Brazil's push for quick elections in a post-Chavez Venezuela marks another important step in its emergence as a diplomatic heavyweight and champion of democracy in Latin America. Rousseff led a strong regional backlash last year when Paraguay's Congress impeached and removed then-President Fernando Lugo.

[pjfootballer]

Funny that the Venezuelan government chastised Obama for his remarks, but he's spot on. Chavez was nothing more than a dictator in disguise.

[visionary]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...90F1L420130116

Talk to us, Venezuela's Capriles urges Chavez

Venezuela's opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, called Wednesday for a proof of life from ailing President Hugo Chavez who has not been seen since cancer surgery in Cuba five weeks ago.

Chavez's signature appeared in the government's official gazette on Wednesday decreeing his new foreign minister - though the document wrongly placed him in Caracas.

"If the president of the republic can sign decrees, I call on him to show himself, to talk to Venezuela," Capriles said at his inauguration for a new term as Miranda state governor.

[pjfootballer]

My wife believes that Fidel Castro died a couple of years ago so it's not surprising that Chavez (if he died) would be in Cuba also and that they would try and cover it up.