By Rachael Boothroyd - Venezuelanalysis.com

Hugo Chavez
Coro, June 13th 2011 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – Following an operation last Friday for a pelvic abscess, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is now reported to be recovering well in a Cuban hospital. During the final leg of his short tour of Latin America, the Venezuelan leader took ill in Cuba and had to undergo immediate surgery in Havana.

Speaking via telephone on a live television programme for TeleSUR Sunday night, Chávez said that Cuba had one of the most advanced health care services in the world. “I got ill in the right place,” he said.

“I am being attended to here with a lot of love and affection, Fidel himself visited me and told me I should rest and get to bed early,” he added.

No official date has been set for Chavez’s return to Venezuela but he is expected to arrive within the next few days according to government sources. In the meantime the President continues to govern from Havana, where he has just signed the “New Law of Additional Debt.”

“He [President Chávez] is combining, in an appropriate and balanced way, his recovery process ... with his role as President of the Republic,” said Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Relations, who rejected speculation that Chávez would be absent for an extended period of time.

“The opposition is trying to manipulate aspects of the constitution. The National Assembly has given permission for Chavez to be out of the country for more than 5 days to attend to his engagements. The current situation is provided for in article 234 of the constitution,” he stated in response to opposition claims that there was “uncertainty” and a “power vacuum.”

Venezuela-Cuba Agreements

While in Cuba, Chávez signed 100 agreements relating to 116 different projects in areas such as health, education, sport, culture, energy, food, transport and communications and construction. The agreements with Cuba, as well as the new “Law of Additional Debt,” will help to strengthen Venezuela’s social missions.

Science and Technology Minister Ricardo Menéndez said of the agreements that, although Cuba-Venezuela relations would ensure long-term economic viability, they could not be framed within strict economic terms.

“They are based in solidarity and in the realization of a decent standard of living for our peoples” he explained.

Demonstrations of Support

This Sunday Venezuelans responded to the Venezuelan United Socialist Party’s (PSUV) calls for solidarity with the President and came out into the streets throughout the country in demonstrations of support for President Chávez.

In Caracas members of the public transmitted messages of solidarity to the President from Plaza Bolivar.

“President Chávez should know that there are people here supporting him, making a revolution, with their political allegiances, as always” said Gladys Arroyo from the square.

“From here the whole country is saying: Commander get better. Hasta la Victoria Siempre [Towards Victory Always: Che Guevara]” said citizen Raúl Urquía in another message of support.

Since he was hospitalised Chávez has received numerous international messages of solidarity, including telephones calls and cards from Argentinean President Christina Kirchner, Ex-Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and representatives from the Sandinista government in Nicaragua.