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01/20/13 - Businessweek - Venezuela's Maduro Says Chavez to Start New Step in Recovery

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez will soon enter a new stage in his recovery from a
fourth cancer operation in Cuba, Vice President Nicolas Maduro said,
without providing further details.

Maduro says he last saw Chavez Jan. 14 during a visit to the Venezuelan
president's bedside in Cuba.

"He is stabilizing in all his medical indicators, in the function of his
organs, in all his fundamental vital indicators and is fully conscious,"
Maduro said today in an interview on the Televen television network. "He
is gaining vital strength to begin a second stage of recovery that will be
announced through official reports."

Chavez, who suffered breathing difficulties from a lung infection and
bleeding following the operation five weeks ago, is sending Maduro
"permanent instructions" as his deputy fills in during the recovery, he
said. In their last face-to-face meeting, Chavez gave Maduro permission to
deliver the presidency's annual report to the National Assembly and they
spoke about oil prices, the budget and social programs, Maduro said.

Venezuela's 58-year-old leader has been battling a lung infection
following the operation that prevented him from attending his own
swearing-in ceremony Jan. 10 and hasn't been seen or heard from since the
surgery in Havana Dec. 11.

The Supreme Court endorsed delaying the inauguration, leaving Maduro,
Chavez's handpicked successor, to run affairs in South America's biggest
oil exporter. The opposition has called the move a violation of the
constitution.

To contact the reporter on this story: Charlie Devereux in Caracas at
cdevereux3@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andre Soliani at
asoliani@bloomberg.net.


Original Source / Fuente Original:
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-01-20/venezuela-s-maduro-says-chavez-to-start-new-step-in-recovery