Chavez Returns To Cuba For Third Surgery

It's now looking like President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela may be losing his battle with cancer. Chavez recently won another term as president in Venezuela's recent election, beating his right-wing opponent rather handily. He is scheduled to be sworn in for the new term on January 10th, but Saturday night he told the nation that his hip cancer had come back. He went back to Cuba for a third cancer surgery.

In a signal that he may be realizing that his time is growing short, President Chavez announced for the first time who he would like to be his successor. The Venezuelan constitution says if a president dies in office, the Vice-President will temporarily rule until a special election can be held to elect a new president (within 30 days). Chavez said if he is unable to complete his new term in office, he hopes the nation will elect his current Vice-President, Nicolas Maduro (pictured above with Chavez), to succeed him.

Maduro is a former bus driver, who became a union organizer. He has always been close to Chavez, and has served at Venezuela's foreign minister since 2006. After his re-election last Fall, Chavez chose Maduro to be his newest vice-president.

I sincerely hope President Chavez can finally defeat his cancer, but if that cannot happen I do hope Vice-President Maduro is elected to replace him. Chavez's social reforms have empowered the poor and indigenous people of Venezuela, and made that country a much fairer place. It would be a shame to see the right-wing regain control of Venezuela and wipe out all of the social reforms.