7 days of mourning for the death of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela officials say, after the 58-year-old President died today. Chavez was an intensely polarizing political figure, lauded by some on the left for his anti-capitalist ethos, condemned by some on the right for the same thing, and condemned by some on both sides for oppression of political opponents and muzzling of dissenting media. This divide is particularly stark in today, with pundits like Kristen Power tweeting “good riddance” to the dead leader (CNN contributor and GOP consultant Alex Castellanos rather sensationally termed him a “Hitler”), while liberal flagship The Nation’s Greg Grandin authored an article far more sympathetic to Chavez’s legacy, admission of his “strongman” status aside. source
In mid-January he was improving, the infection could be controlled, but he continued with problems of respiratory insufficiency. Afterwards, there was a general improvement, and the doctors along with President Chávez decided to initiate complementary treatments. You know what the complementary treatments are, right? They are chemotherapy that is applied to patients after operations.Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro • Speaking on the condition of his boss, President Hugo Chavez, whose state of health is still relatively clouded in mystery. Chavez is not well, this much is clear — he’s been in intensive medical treatment, and hidden from the public eye since mid-December, battling a cancer with which he was first publicly revealed in 2011. Government officials have publicly stated that Chavez is battling for his life, but in absence of further transparency (a fact which has infuriated his political opposition), they’ve been dogged by reports and speculation of varying credibility of the leader’s death, the latest of which came from CNN Chile this week. source
Vice President (Nicolas) Maduro estimates that the time it could take President Chavez to return is within weeks. But we haven’t wanted to fix an exact timeframe for the president’s recuperation.Venezuelan Information Minister Ernesto Villegas • Speaking on the health of re-elected, yet still not inaugurated Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. For weeks, the state of Chavez’s poor health (he’s been undergoing cancer treatment in Cuba, and has not been seen in public since December) has become a hotly contested political issue. Today, Villegas announced that Chavez had bested a respiratory ailment, and read a government statement claiming his “general evolution is favorable.” source
The commander president wants us to inform that, based on his medical team’s recommendations, the post-operative recovery should extend past January 10. As a result, he will not be able to be present at the National Assembly on that date.Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro • From a letter read to the legislature today, regarding the ailing health of President Hugo Chavez. Chavez hasn’t been seen or heard from since mid-December, when he was in Havana, Cuba for cancer treatment, and his political opposition has decried both the lack of transparency as to his health, with rumors flying as to how dire, and challenged the constitutionality of postponing the inauguration. source
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