Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez delegated some powers to his vice president and finance minister on Saturday, hours before a planned departure to Cuba where he will receive treatment for cancer, according to Reuters. Chavez resisted calls from the opposition to temporarily hand over the presidency to Vice President Elias Jaua during his absence, but gave him and Finance Minister Jorge Giordani powers that include budgetary matters. Chavez had a large tumor removed last month in Cuba. He has not said what type of cancer he has or for how long he will be out of the country.
