Chavez returns, warns of long cancer battle

CARACAS: President Hugo Chavez put on a triumphant display Monday to show he was firmly back in charge of Venezuela, but warned supporters on his return from Cuba of a long cancer battle ahead.

Thousands turned out at the presidential palace to witness what was an important show of strength after a nearly month-long political hiatus, timed smartly as a prelude to the start of Tuesday's bicentennial celebrations.

"Long live Venezuela! Long live the Venezuelan people! Long live the union of Latin America! Long live Fidel (Castro)! Long live Cuba! Long live life! And long live Chavez!" Chavez cried, rallying the crowd with trademark gusto.

Dressed in military uniform topped by his red paratrooper's beret and waving a large Venezuelan flag, the anti-American firebrand and leftist icon appeared lively and showed no outward signs of fatigue from his illness.

The crowd, some waving Cuban flags as a token of thanks, others clasping photos of Chavez, sang the Venezuelan anthem throughout his address and expressed joy and relief that their ailing president was back home.

Chavez, who admitted that he had been through some "very difficult hours," cautioned that he had only gone through the "first stage" of the battle, and urged patience and strength on the march toward a "final victory."

It was almost four weeks ago, on June 8, that the 56-year-old Venezuelan leader arrived in Cuba on a routine official visit to his longtime leftist allies in Havana, who are heavily dependent on oil exports from Latin America's main producer.

Two days later he was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment on what Cuban and Venezuelan officials said was a pelvic abscess. Conflicting reports and mounting speculation about his condition followed.

As days ran into weeks, the absence of a man ordinary Venezuelans were used to seeing on television, hearing on radio, or reading on Twitter every day led to naval-gazing about political life without the omnipresent leader.

Last week eyebrows were raised further when Venezuela postponed the inaugural summit of a new Americas bloc -- Chavez had been due to host the regional gathering, a pet project that excludes Canada and the United States.

Then on Thursday, Chavez, who has a gift for the theatrical, made a
dramatic announcement on state television via video from Havana, telling his nation that doctors had found and removed a cancerous growth.

With the country reeling, officials have since confirmed the tumor was in his pelvic area and that all the president's organs are fine. They have not said what type of cancer it was or what the longer-term prognosis is.

Chavez, who has been elected three times since 1999 and survived an aborted coup in April 2002, has already announced his intention to run for another six-year term in 2012. (AFP)