Not from my agenda-pushing war daily:
"Thousands celebrate Chávez’s return to Caracas; Political future uncertain after cancer surgery" July 05, 2011|By Ian James, Associated Press
CARACAS - Hugo Chávez’s surprise return from Cuba after cancer treatment was a classic maneuver for a president who excels at showmanship. It also could give him a political boost as supporters rally around their ailing leader.
As if the cancer was some sort of campaign tactic?
I think the insulting AmeriKan media has just plumbed a new low.
The 56-year-old president projected a strong, vibrant image as he stepped off a plane early yesterday. Smiling, he hugged his vice president, broke into song, and later raised a fist in triumph.
In the afternoon, he rallied thousands of supporters from a balcony of the presidential palace. He led the crowd in singing the Venezuelan national anthem and addressed the crowd in his usual booming voice. State TV showed some in the crowd weeping at the sight of their “comandante.’’
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Despite the confident image, doubts about his future reemerged as he suggested later in the day that he still isn’t ready for a full comeback....
And the AmeriKan empire builders are just hoping.
Still, for a president who knows how to command attention, his return sent a powerful message that he remains in control....
The long-term political effects of fighting cancer for a leader who thrives on the spotlight remain unclear.
Short term? Sympathy vote.
But Chávez will probably play up his plight to rally his movement....
Yeah, cancer is a beneficial campaign strategy. Again with the INSULT to INJURY!
Unanswered questions about Chávez’s health abound....
The agenda-pushers says with fingers crossed and muttered prayers.
Chávez’s many comebacks have historically helped him energize his base. Nearly a decade ago, Chávez bounced back in triumph after a 2002 coup briefly ousted him.
A coup the U.S. supported, but down the memory hole with it.
And now the "comandante" has cancer?
And he went to Cuba to have it treated?
A decade earlier, when he led his own failed coup in 1992, he said his objectives had not been reached “for now’’ - a hint of the come-from-behind presidential bid that would sweep him to power.
Chávez returned yesterday to a city of freshly painted murals bearing his face and those of the country’s 19th-century independence heroes. Yellow, blue, and red Venezuelan flags were everywhere downtown, fluttering from lamp posts and over doorways under sunny skies.
The mood among supporters was festive. Some acknowledged Chávez faces an uncertain future but said they felt hopeful and relieved, especially after seeing him looking much healthier than he did on TV several days ago.
Oh, then he is recovering well.
--more--"
There is always a party pooper:
"One of President Hugo Chávez’s most well-known inspirations, leftist intellectual Noam Chomsky, is challenging the Venezuelan leader on a key human rights case by asking him to release a judge detained since 2009....
--more--"
Also see: Chavez is Sick
And it is not because of his politics, Noam.
What's he even doing in the Globe anyway?
