Health Of Venezuela's Chavez Deteriorates With Severe Respiratory Infection

News_Editor · March 5, 2013

Health of Venezuela's Chavez deteriorates with severe respiratory infection

2013-03-06 01:07:26 GMT+7 (ICT) CARACAS, VENEZUELA (BNO NEWS) --Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's health condition is continuing to worsen with the discovery of a new and severe respiratory infection, causing the cancer-stricken leader's breathing to deteriorate, the government announced on late Monday evening. Venezuela's Communication and Information Minister Ernesto Villegas appeared on national TV and radio on late Monday evening, providing an update on the condition of Chavez. "There is a worsening of respiratory function related to the state immunosuppressed due to a clinical situation," he said. Villegas said Chavez, with a weakened immune system, is now suffering from a new and severe respiratory infection as he continues to receive chemotherapy and other complementary treatments which significantly impact the body. He described the overall situation as "very delicate." "The Commander President remains clinging to Christ and life, aware of the difficulties he faces, and is in strict compliance with the program designed by his medical team," the minister said. He said the Venezuelan government continues to support the children and other relatives of Chavez. Villegas also took the opportunity to lash out against the "corrupt Venezuelan far right" for what he described as a "psychological war" seeking to generate "scenarios of violence as a pretext for foreign intervention." He said enemies of Chavez were attempting to use the health situation to destabilize Venezuela. Rumors surrounding Chavez's health condition have been circulating since June 2011 when the Venezuelan president first stated that he was recovering from an operation that removed an abscessed tumor with cancerous cells. He later declared in July 2012 that he had fully recovered from cancer, only three months before presidential elections which he won. But the cancer returned and Chavez, 58, again underwent surgery on December 11, 2012, and has not made a public appearance ever since, triggering further doubts regarding his health condition. A photo of Chavez, posing with his daughters, was released on February 14, four days before he was moved to the Military Hospital in Caracas. Last week, Venezuelan Vice-President Nicolas Maduro said Chavez was receiving "complementary chemotherapy treatments" at the Military Hospital. Chavez, who first assumed office in 1999, is set to carry out his fourth presidential term, which began on January 10 and is due to end in 2019.