Weekly Report - 23 February 2012 (WR-12-08)

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez will undergo emergency surgery in Cuba. Speculation had mounted for days about the state of Chávez’s health before he admitted publicly on 21 February that a “two-centimetre lesion” had been discovered during a “routine check-up” in Cuba at the weekend in the same (unspecified) place where he had a malignant tumour removed less than a year ago. He did not say when he would go to Cuba for treatment, but it is likely to be this weekend and to involve radiotherapy. He admitted that he would be forced to slow down his rhythm in the months ahead but he pointedly refrained from announcing a temporary replacement and remains intent on standing for re-election on 7 October. The uncertainty should play into the hands of his opponent Henrique Capriles Radonski, who won a sweeping victory in primary elections on 12 February.