US reports Chavez in 'critical' condition

Reports, citing 'US intelligence' claim that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is in “critical” condition after undergoing an emergency surgery in Cuba on June 10.

Chavez "is in critical condition; not on the brink of death, but critical indeed, and complicated," reported a US-based anti-Cuban Spanish daily El Nuevo Herald.

According to the report, cited by a number of right-wing news outlets in US, Britain and Israel, Chavez's daughter, Rosines, and his mother, Marisabel Rodriguez, “urgently” left Venezuela within the past 72 hours heading to Cuba in an air force plane.

On Wednesday, the Venezuelan president's brother Adan Chavez announced that President Chavez "as officially reported, is recovering well."

He added that it was not clear when his younger brother would return home but noted that the Venezuelan chief executive is expected to leave Cuba within 10 to 12 days.

Chavez underwent unscheduled surgery for a pelvic abscess during his official visit to Cuba and has remained on the Caribbean island since then to recover.

Opponents of the popular president claim that Chavez may have suffered from something more serious, such as cancer.

Pro-government groups, however, have been prepared for days to celebrate Chavez's return to the Miraflores presidential palace in the capital Caracas.

The Venezuelan leader plans to run for re-election in 2012 and serve at least one more six-year term. He has focused on implementing wide-ranging reforms in the country during his tenure as the chief executive.

Venezuela has recently severed relations with the US, following a US move on May 24 to imposed sanctions against Venezuela's giant oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) for supplying Iran with gasoline and other refined oil products.

Venezuela's Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez, who is also the head of PDVSA, announced on May 25 that Venezuela would continue to maintain good ties with Iran and any other country it wants to, emphasizing that "this is a right we are not going to renounce."

Ever since Chavez was elected into office, the US government has made numerous attempts to incite anti-Chavez revolts in Venezuela and even overthrow the popular president.

Source: PressTV