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Judi Lynn

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36. Before More Cancer Surgery, Chávez Had Some Political Fences to Mend at Home

Mon Dec 10, 2012, 12:23 AM

Dec 2012

Before More Cancer Surgery, Chávez Had Some Political Fences to Mend at Home

[font size=1]Isaac Urrutia/Reuters

Followers of President Hugo Chávez showed steadfast support on Sunday in central Caracas.

By WILLIAM NEUMAN
Published: December 9, 2012 [/font]

LA PAZ, Bolivia — President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela has flown repeatedly to Cuba this year for cancer treatments, but the flight that took him back to Caracas on Friday may have been the most meaningful of all.

Mr. Chávez postponed emergency cancer surgery to return home, meet with his inner circle and announce on television on Saturday, for the first time, that he had picked the man he wanted to lead his socialist revolution when he is gone — something he seemed to suggest might come sooner than his millions of followers would hope.

He was scheduled to fly to Cuba again on Sunday night to prepare for surgery.

Mr. Chávez could well recover and remain a potent force, but on Saturday night he seemed intent on smoothing over factions within his party and solidifying support for the man he chose to succeed him, Vice President Nicolás Maduro.

Mr. Chávez, 58, spoke the word “unity” several times during Saturday’s somber, symbolically weighted appearance. To his left sat Mr. Maduro, and behind both of them viewers could see a bust of Mr. Chávez’s hero, the South American independence leader Simón Bolívar (who never realized his dream of unifying a fractious continent).

More:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/10/world/americas/chavez-put-party-unity-before-another-cancer-surgery.html

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Venezuela's Chavez says cancer has returned [View all] NYC Liberal Dec 2012 OP

Best wishes, President Chavez. Ken Burch Dec 2012 #1

Works for me.......... NT Ernesto Dec 2012 #2

Wish he could try the Gerson diet starting immediately. What would he have to lose? nt kelliekat44 Dec 2012 #44

Long Life and fuck capitalist fascists fascisthunter Dec 2012 #3

Yeah, but who gives a fuck what those assholes think? Egalitarian Thug Dec 2012 #5

they not only express an opinion fascisthunter Dec 2012 #6

So very right, they ARE "amoral sociopaths". Nothing but trash. n/t Judi Lynn Dec 2012 #12

Sooner or later, everyone comes to LV. Egalitarian Thug Dec 2012 #23

You only said what you felt. hrmjustin Dec 2012 #8

Hasta la victoria siempre. . . allrevvedup Dec 2012 #4

Sounds as if the prognosis is not good Zorro Dec 2012 #7

Chavez SamKnause Dec 2012 #9

If anything happens to Chavez, the U.S. has a moral obligation Ken Burch Dec 2012 #10

I hope there is enough power in the resistance of the masses in Venezuela now. Judi Lynn Dec 2012 #13

And how I wish that we were truly moral enough to fulfill that obligation. I fear for the poor and jwirr Dec 2012 #18

Sigh of course the Chavez fans are out in force here. Mr.Turnip Dec 2012 #11

You're in the wrong place if you're telling us Chavez fans don't have a place in a Democratic forum. Judi Lynn Dec 2012 #14

I was born in Venezuela mecherosegarden Dec 2012 #21

Don't let it bother you Zorro Dec 2012 #24

I have VZ friends who are living in PR now. MADem Dec 2012 #31

How unfortunate for you that second and third-hand anecdotes can't be verified. ronnie624 Dec 2012 #37

I believe them more than I believe some of the characterizations I see here. MADem Dec 2012 #38

The scarcity is clearly caused by powerful political opponents of Chavez; ronnie624 Dec 2012 #39

Just as hardships in every country are caused by the "haves" usually trampling on the rights, kelliekat44 Dec 2012 #42

And of course, management has nothing to do with it whatsoever...? MADem Dec 2012 #50

Right off the bat, you push misinformation, without giving it a second thought. ronnie624 Dec 2012 #52

It's not misinformation...unless you think those folks at PBS were lying nearly a decade ago... MADem Dec 2012 #61

Your article says Chavez *helped* rewrite the constitution. ronnie624 Dec 2012 #64

He rewrote it, with help. That's the bottom line. What went in it was what HE wanted in it. MADem Dec 2012 #65

You are the one who has the sequence wrong. ronnie624 Dec 2012 #68

No, I don't think I do. The whole process began with a vote of authorization. MADem Dec 2012 #72

Just a poor attempt to deny what is recorded here for all to see. ronnie624 Dec 2012 #84

No, that's not accurate. MADem Dec 2012 #85

Yes, it is accurate. ronnie624 Dec 2012 #86

The vote to start the process was the first vote on the matter. MADem Dec 2012 #87

And the vote that 'ended' the process, thus ratifying the new constitution, ronnie624 Dec 2012 #88

You aren't reading what I wrote, if you think that. MADem Dec 2012 #89

None of those articles provide any real information. ronnie624 Dec 2012 #90

Yes, they do. They provide a LOT of information--information you, for reasons unclear to me, are MADem Dec 2012 #91

No, really, they're all very short, ronnie624 Dec 2012 #92

VZ has a high crime rate and is corrupt. MADem Dec 2012 #93

It will be time for President Chavez to "get out of the way", ronnie624 Dec 2012 #94

Well, that will happen when the sarcoma has its way with him. MADem Dec 2012 #95

You're right. It's unlikely he'll live much longer. ronnie624 Dec 2012 #96

We're no saints, but Chavez has had the deck and con for fourteen years. MADem Dec 2012 #97

Chavismo is responsible for the rise of the Boligarchs. joshcryer Dec 2012 #63

Boligarchs--what a clever and expressive way of putting it. Sums it up perfectly. MADem Dec 2012 #66

The twenty years preceding the Bolivarian government ronnie624 Dec 2012 #69

It was reversed? Doesn't look that way to me. MADem Dec 2012 #70

I posted links to detailed analysis of the Venezuelan economy. ronnie624 Dec 2012 #71

Crime is rampant. Murder is common. When you're dead, your life is not "much improved." MADem Dec 2012 #73

Brazil and Chile were far more impressive than Venezuela. joshcryer Dec 2012 #78

Poverty was reduced throughout all of Latin America. joshcryer Dec 2012 #77

It's a term used by Venezuelans, even Chavez has used it, they have no problem admitting it. joshcryer Dec 2012 #76

I love DU--I learn something new every day! MADem Dec 2012 #80

Video by Al Jazeera about the Boligarchs: joshcryer Dec 2012 #82

Fascinating...and disturbing. Thanks for that; it was very ... instructive!! nt MADem Dec 2012 #83

This message was self-deleted by its author devilgrrl Dec 2012 #57

Two words. n/t bitchkitty Dec 2012 #16

Chavez fans are really fans of Venezuelan democracy; ronnie624 Dec 2012 #17

Try reading "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein before you call us Chavez fans. We are instead jwirr Dec 2012 #19

Why support Chavez? randomtagger Dec 2012 #58

Not everyone here considers him a hero leftynyc Dec 2012 #59

I know, but.. randomtagger Dec 2012 #62

You have no idea of what you're talking about. bitchkitty Dec 2012 #79

Hugo Chavez says he needs cancer surgery again, names VP successor if illness worsens Judi Lynn Dec 2012 #15

Glad to hear that he is trying to prepare them for the oppression from the corporations that is most jwirr Dec 2012 #20

Why is he rather than the constitution naming a successor? (nt) Recursion Dec 2012 #27

Take the time to read the article FIRST before attempting to insinuate he's out of line.. n/t Judi Lynn Dec 2012 #30

Hmmm, Vice-President? What is that?! JackRiddler Dec 2012 #35

Clearly a title only given in dictatorships... Comrade_McKenzie Dec 2012 #45

VP in Venezuela only takes power if the President dies in the last 2 years of office. joshcryer Dec 2012 #55

He's naming a political successor, yeah, it's weird, but they needed to pick someone. joshcryer Dec 2012 #54

If he dies soon there will be new elections...assuming rule of law is followed. MADem Dec 2012 #67

I only hope that his VP is a man who cannot be bought out by the corporatists. kelliekat44 Dec 2012 #43

His VP is a raging homophobe as are a huge number of chavistas. joshcryer Dec 2012 #56

Wasn't that VZ's Deepwater Horizon "BP moment?" MADem Dec 2012 #74

BP + Enron moment. Combined. joshcryer Dec 2012 #75

Imagine what could be done with seven hundred million...a real shame. nt MADem Dec 2012 #81

Oh No! Odin2005 Dec 2012 #22

Good thing he's going to Cuba for treatment. Pterodactyl Dec 2012 #25

Cancer is an awful thing to have Fearless Dec 2012 #26

Best wishes to him. polly7 Dec 2012 #28

I don't think it ever left. MADem Dec 2012 #29

Hugo Chávez names successor after confirming need for cancer surgery struggle4progress Dec 2012 #32

Kick (nt) muriel_volestrangler Dec 2012 #33

The problems Venezuela has with poverty and crime... Ash_F Dec 2012 #34

I agree with you. nt kelliekat44 Dec 2012 #60

Before More Cancer Surgery, Chávez Had Some Political Fences to Mend at Home Judi Lynn Dec 2012 #36

I have changed my mind on Chavez Downtown Hound Dec 2012 #40

Don't recall ever seeing you speaking up as one who supports the progress made already Judi Lynn Dec 2012 #41

who cares? He has since come around to seeing the light Bacchus4.0 Dec 2012 #47

Don't really care if you ever recall me speaking positively of him Downtown Hound Dec 2012 #49

LOL - at least it's a new variation of the same theme! bitchkitty Dec 2012 #53

How true. You should have never suporeted him. JackRiddler Dec 2012 #48

I didn't have much of an opinion about him until I saw "The War on Democracy" Comrade_McKenzie Dec 2012 #46

OH crap DonCoquixote Dec 2012 #51