Venezuela=?UTF-8?B?4oCZ?=s Chavez confident to win a second term

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez reappeared Tuesday on TV to express his confidence of winning the upcoming presidential race after he finished his last round of cancertreatment in Cuba, Xinhua news agency reported.Chavez spoke with a strong voice and showed no sign of fatigue as he hosted a two-hour-plusministerial meeting Tuesday, local TV channels reported.He showed his confidence to win the presidential election scheduled for October 7, saying he would give his rival, the opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, a defeat with “no precedent in the political history of this country.” He also took a good-natured jab at the opposition, saying his party would beat them in the elections.Chavez also mentioned his intention at the meeting to formally register early next month as a presidential candidate, as required by electoral laws.It was the first time he made public statements since his return on May 11 from Cuba, where hereceived the third round of cancer trea tment.Officials said the 57-year-old ex-soldier was now recovering and preparing for the presidentialelections.However, his periodic absences and the lack of information about the exact nature of hiscancer have both his backers and detractors keep close tabs on his appearances.His numerous supporters rejoiced at his comeback, but every time he disappears from thepublic eye for some time, the opposition and especially his election rival Capriles would stir upsuspicion about his health.During an unusually long nine-day silence in April, when Chavez was in Havana for cancertreatment and only managed to tweet a message to followers, Capriles accused the head ofstate of “governing via Twitter.”Chavez then put a call in to Venezuelan state television in recent days to say he would soon be back in Caracas, following speculations that his health had badly deteriorated. Media also noted his voice was “healthy-sounding.”Chavez, who is seeking his third six-year term in October, announced earlier in May afterreturning from Cuba that his anti-cancer treatment had been a success.   Read more... (319 words)

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