MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez says he’s fine but photos and television give a different picture

The Venezuelan president during his meeting with a Byelorussian delegation (Photo AP)

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez seems to be fully active recovering the initiative impetus of his pre-chemotherapy treatment. On Monday he was on national television in a meeting with a business delegation from Byelorussia. Last Saturday he was seen giving away home appliances and in the evening chairing a cabinet meeting.

He then spoke until almost mid night in a local broadcasted program from the government managed Venezuelan television, and previous to that on Thursday he had a record attendance in four radio and television programs after having been absent for over a week, since 23 September when he travelled to Cuba for treatment.

However in spite of all the activity and his insistence that he is firmly on the recovery path, screens and pictures show him with an abnormally swollen face, bolder head and a yellowish colour.

“I’m not sick, at all” he said on Saturday when distributing fridges and kitchens in Government House, Palacio Miraflores. Likewise all his cabinet ministers and top officials repeat endlessly that President Chavez and comrade Hugo is rapidly recovering.

Last week a Miami daily reported that Chavez had to be urgently hospitalized. The following day Chavez popped up in the gardens of Miraflores Palace playing baseball with his ministers and poking fun of the irresponsible imperialist Miami press. He spent several hours with the press and taunting those who had written about his serious condition.

The fact is that since admitting his health condition last June 30, there is very limited certainty about his true health condition and life risks, if any… while pictures show symptoms of something different.