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Caribbean-Latin America
Chavez not yet dead
2012-12-27
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Vice President Nicolas Maduro surprised Venezuelans with a Christmas Eve announcement that President Hugo Chavez is up and walking two weeks after cancer surgery in Cuba, but the news did little to ease uncertainty surrounding the leader's condition.

Sounding drunkenly giddy, Maduro told state television Venezolana de Television that he had spoken by phone with Chavez for 20 minutes Monday night. It was the first time a top Venezuelan government official had confirmed talking personally with Chavez since the Dec. 11 operation, his fourth cancer surgery since 2011.

"He was in a good mood," Maduro said. "He was walking, he was exercising."
Got to the bedside commode, did he?
Chavez supporters reacted with relief, but the statement inspired more questions, given the sparse information the Venezuelan government has provided so far about the president's cancer. Chavez has kept secret various details about his illness, including the precise location of the tumors and the type of cancer. His long-term prognosis remains a mystery.
Well no, actually it isn't...
Dr. Michael Pishvaian, an oncologist at Georgetown University's Lombardi Cancer Center in Washington, said it was an encouraging sign that Chavez was walking, and it indicated he would be able to return to Venezuela relatively soon. But he said the long term outlook remained poor.

"It's definitely good news. It means that he is on the road to recover fully from the surgery," Pishvaian said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "The overall prognosis is still pretty poor. He likely has a terminal diagnosis with his cancer that has come back."

Pishvaian and other outside doctors have said that given the details Chavez has provided about his cancer, it is most likely a soft-tissue sarcoma.

Maduro's announcement came just hours after Information Minister Ernesto Villegas read a statement saying Chavez was showing "a slight improvement with a progressive trend."
Sorta like General Franco...
Dr. Carlos Castro, director of the Colombian League against Cancer, an association that promotes cancer prevention, treatment and education, said Maduro's announcement was too vague to paint a clear picture of Chavez's condition.

"It's possible (that he is walking) because everything is possible," Castro told AP. "They probably had him sit in up in bed and take two steps."

"It's unclear what they mean by exercise. Was it four little steps?" he added. "I think he is still in critical condition."
Not for long...
Posted by:Steve White

#9  "..E's pining...."

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2012-12-27 19:04  

#8  Supposed to be some awesome comets in 2013. Maybe one of them is coming to take Chavez home?
Posted by: Charles   2012-12-27 15:41  

#7  Oh Billy, you know that's right. I call June 27, 2013.
Posted by: Shipman   2012-12-27 14:37  

#6  I'm OK with "mostly dead".
Posted by: SteveS   2012-12-27 13:21  

#5  Maybe he can do a two step to hell with Fidel?
Posted by: European Conservative   2012-12-27 07:59  

#4  Gotta think he's a first round pick in the 2013 Ghoul Pool.
Posted by: Bangkok Billy   2012-12-27 06:30  

#3  Our top story tonight...
Posted by: tu3031   2012-12-27 00:32  

#2  Remember, they can LIE through the press, easily.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2012-12-27 00:26  

#1  The [Grateful] Dead aint yet ...

Good luck and an Old Milwaukee to you Hugo!
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2012-12-27 00:13  

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