News Americas, CARACAS, Venezuela, Thurs. June 30, 2011: Blame it on Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s health?
Officials in Venezuela won’t admit it but the third regional summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States has been canned for now even as speculation over the health of Chavez continues.
The conference had been scheduled for July 5th in Venezuela but officials yesterday announced a postponement. According to an official statement from the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, the suspension was due to the fact that the summit host, Chavez, continued to be in recovery from surgery he had earlier this month in Cuba.
“Commander Hugo Chavez continues to be in the middle of a recovery process and is under strict medical treatment,” the ministry said, adding that due to this and “after consulting with the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean, the decision was taken to delay the third summit.”
Chavez left Venezuela on June for Cuba, where he had surgery, apparently for a pelvic abscess. He remains there and has been largely silent.
On Tuesday, however, Cuban state TV aired images of President Chavez talking animatedly to former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
