Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has recovered from a respiratory infection he contracted after undergoing cancer surgery in Cuba, a minister said.'Fortyfive days after the complicated surgery, the patient recovers normally, his serious respiratory infection has been overcome. Though certain respiratory inefficiency persists, he is receiving the required treatment,' Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said on state TV.
| And if you can't believe the state information minister, who can you believe? |
| "What did he say?" "Something like, 'como gurgle gurgle farc mummmphh gurgle,' minister." "Okay, make that happen, and snappy!" |
Chavez, who has ruled Venezuela for 13 years, has had four operations for cancer and four courses of chemotherapy in Cuba and Venezuela within a year. His fourth operation, to remove cancerous tissue, took place in Cuba Dec 11.
His inauguration was slated for Jan 11, but he was unable to attend due to
| I think this is just 'happy news', and suggests that the behind the scenes fighting to decide who will succeed him hasn't yet been settled. |