Venezuela's Chavez says tests show him in good health

[Zorro]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Saturday medical tests following his cancer treatment show he is in good health, but provided few additional details about an illness that has become an obsession in the OPEC nation.

The former soldier's health is seen a key factor in his re-election bid because a serious relapse of his cancer could limit his ability to campaign ahead of the October 7 vote and potentially tip the balance toward opposition challenger Henrique Capriles.

Chavez, who has undergone three operations for cancer in the pelvic region, said he had taken exams including a CAT scan and a magnetic resonance imaging scan as part of scheduled checks.

"This was a few hours ago. Everything turned out absolutely fine," Chavez said in a chat with reporters at the presidential palace in which he appeared healthy and in good spirits. "After the operation and the radiotherapy, I feel very good."

More at: http://news.yahoo.com/venezuelas-chavez-says-tests-show-him-good-health-002552365.html

[MADem]

1. Doped up on opiates?

While upbeat and at times almost triumphant about defeating the illness, Chavez has avoided repeating last year's claim he is "cancer free." He made that assertion months before he had to return to Cuba for a third operation in the same part of his body as the first two.
His actual condition and capacity to carry on with his typically torrid pace of campaigning are still shrouded in mystery. News reports that he has only a few months to live continue to surface, as they have periodically since he announced his cancer last June.
One source close to Chavez's medical team told Reuters his condition was "delicate" and he had started to experience strong pain in one leg last month due to the illness' progression.
Reporters, including one prominent opposition journalist, have said Chavez is taking powerful opiates to ease the pain of what they said was cancer that had spread to his bones.

http://news.yahoo.com/venezuelas-chavez-says-tests-show-him-good-health-002552365.html