Only a month ago, it was widely reported that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had only a couple months to live because of a rare form of cancer.
But the socialist politician appeared at a news conference this week to declare he is now “totally free” of cancer and that the disease will not affect his re-election campaign. The leftist firebrand – said to suffer from a type of connective tissue cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma – appeared more robust and heavier than earlier in the year.
Chavez has traveled to Cuba at least three times for treatment. In May, it was reported that the 57-year-old was in the “end stage” of cancer and likely would not survive until the Oct. 7 presidential election in Venezuela. But his energetic denial of his grave medical condition puts those reports in doubt.
Rhabdomyosarcoma is more common in children than in adults, with about 70 percent of those with a localized form of the disease surviving for the long term.
Said Chavez: “Thanks to God, I am here and every day I feel in better physical condition, and I really don’t think this… will be a factor in the campaign.” He said that he worked “with a lot of discipline” to overcome the disease, adding that his last radiation treatment was two months ago.