3 expat women who practiced prostitution in a hotel arrested in Riyadh    Tunisian president and Saudi interior minister discuss security cooperation    Saudi, US defense ministers discuss over phone ways to enhance strategic cooperation    Grand Mufti expresses pride over Saudi Arabia's firm position on Palestine issue    Saudi Arabia's inflation records slight rise reaching 2% in January 2025    Electromin celebrates victory of "Nissan Formula E Team" in "Jeddah E-Prix" as first Saudi private-sector global partner in Formula E    Saudi Arabia vows full support to Lebanon's actions to safeguard citizens' security    US-made heavy bombs arrive in Israel after Biden-era hold    Death toll from New Delhi railway station stampede rises to 18    US, Russia to begin Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia    Al Ittihad CEO calls for fairness as Al Hilal raises officiating concerns ahead of Saudi Classico    LG Electronics Saudi Arabia and Shaker Group mark 30 years of sustainable innovation in HVAC solutions    Benzema shines with goal and two assists as Al Ittihad dominate Al Wehda French star leads Al Ittihad to 4-1 victory, extending lead over Al Hilal ahead of top-of-the-table clash    Saudi Arabia among world's top 10 energy storage markets    Al Hilal held to controversial 1-1 draw against Al Riyadh, missing chance to reclaim top spot    Al Hilal accuses SPL's Michael Emenalo of bias and SFF's Manuel Navarro of pressuring team to accept local referees Club criticizes officiating, calls for elite foreign referees in Saudi Pro League    Maya Diab joins Arab stars and celebrities in celebrating the Centrepoint Ramadan 2025 collection launch at Riyadh Boulevard    Oilatum tackles rise in Eczema and Dry Skin in Saudi Arabia    HONOR brings together AI and luxury with PORSCHE DESIGN HONOR Magic7 RSR at LEAP 2025    Chinese film stirs national pride, rakes in $1bn in days    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Chavez foes say his absence a security risk
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 02 - 07 - 2011

Venezuela's opposition said on Saturday President Hugo Chavez's prolonged convalescence from cancer in Cuba put the country's security and sovereignty at risk and it stepped up calls for him to delegate his powers, according to Reuters.
"It's clear Chavez does not have the capacity to fully exercise his power ... . This is a very dangerous, nefarious precedent," Roberto Enriquez, national president of the COPEI Christian Democrat opposition party, told reporters.
The 56-year-old's cancer, which the charismatic socialist leader revealed on Thursday in a televised speech from Havana, has convulsed politics in South America's biggest oil exporter ahead of a presidential election next year.
"The security of the state cannot be handled from outside the national territory ... . Affairs of state are being discussed in foreign government installations," COPEI's Enriquez said, adding that the situation put the country's security and sovereignty at risk.
Vice President Elias Jaua and Venezuela's military chiefs have rejected calls for any temporary delegation of Chavez's powers. They argue the National Assembly dominated by the president's supporters has already constitutionally approved his absence.
Chavez's illness has underlined the lack of an obvious successor to the populist Venezuelan leader whose personalized style of government has dominated the OPEC country since 1999.
infighting among the fractious ranks of Chavez supporters.
Chavez's armed forces, purged over the years of critics and opponents, have been a bulwark of support to his left-leaning "Bolivarian Revolution" and Defense Minister Carlos Mata Figueroa repeated a pledge of loyalty on Saturday.
"The soldiers of the homeland who are the blood, sap and soul of the people express our deepest loyalty to the Commander in Chief and revolutionary government," Mata said at a military ceremony that should have been attended by Chavez.
Neither Chavez nor his government has announced a firm date for his return, fueling conjecture about what kind of cancer he has and how long it could take him to recover. Media reports have speculated he has either colon or prostate cancer.
IMPACT ON 2012 ELECTION CAMPAIGN?
Analysts say any diminishing of Chavez's visibility or volubility could reduce his ability to rally support for the 2012 election.
"The revolution and the new socialism are words that without President Chavez have little meaning for a broad number of people, with many periphery supporters likely to shift towards the opposition," global banking group RBS said in a research note.
With polls showing the popularity of Chavez's government being eroded by economic woes, high crime rates and problems like chronic power outages, next year's vote is likely to be crucial for Chavez in his long career marked by a string of ballot victories and the projection of his leftist policies around the world.
"We have absolute faith and confidence in God ... that Hugo Chavez will be the candidate of the Bolivarian Revolution, of the people and patriots of Venezuela, and that he will carry on being president beyond 2012," Jaua said on Friday.
On the streets of Caracas on Saturday, debate swirled over just how ill Chavez might be and when he would come back.
"I think he's not going to be the same, cancer is a very serious illness and he looked very bad to me, very thin, pale, he didn't look like the same old Chavez," said Yiletsi Velasco, a 53-year-old housewife.
Newspaper vendor Wilmer Rojas was more upbeat and said his paper sales had rocketed in recent days.
"Chavez is going to be back faster than some people think. I see a lot of people talking, but you'll see Chavez will be back. Not even cancer can bring him down, he'll return strong," he said.
One source close to the Venezuelan medical team following his recovery in Cuba has said the diagnosis revealed a cancer that required aggressive treatment that could take several months.
A wing of the Military Hospital in Caracas was being prepared to receive him when he returns, the source said.
Since Chavez appeared on TV on Thursday to reveal he had undergone cancer surgery, many have questioned whether he will be able to govern the nation of 29 million people.
A phone call by Chavez to Cuban TV on Friday did little to quell the rumors.
"Nobody expected this illness," he said, but he added he was sure he would recover and that the experience would strengthen him.
He was keen to demonstrate he was still running Venezuela during his recuperation, discussing energy and infrastructure projects and summoning government leaders including Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez to talks in Havana.
Chavez vanished from public view after an operation to remove a pelvic abscess on June 10, followed by the more serious cancer tumor extraction.
Other world leaders have suffered cancer but remained in office, including Paraguay's Fernando Lugo, France's Francois Mitterrand, the Czech Republic's Vaclav Havel and U.S. President Ronald Reagan.


Clic here to read the story from its source.