Will Venezuela, in its current state of turmoil, know how to live without Chávez?
New Year's Eve celebration in neighboring country is canceled; President Hugo Chávez experiences "new post-surgical complications"; Vice President Nicolás Maduro's presence in Havana, where "Comandante" is hospitalized, indicates the seriousness of his condition; neighboring country holds civic vigils throughout its territory; Chávez's absence will profoundly affect the political landscape in Latin America.
247 – Venezuela is in a trance for Hugo Chávez. With millions of people across the country holding religious vigils for the president's health, his condition in Havana is considered very delicate due to "new post-surgical complications." Vice President Nicolás Maduro traveled to the Cuban capital on Friday the 28th to monitor the situation. He spoke with Chávez on Sunday the 30th, subsequently stating that the "comandante's" situation is difficult.
At age 58, Chávez underwent another operation on December 11th to remove tumors. There is no clear information about their location.
In the political arena, the president prepared for his absence from power by naming Maduro, a centrist politician, as his political heir. But this may not be enough to keep the country calm. Chávez's political life is marked by the establishment of internal tensions. He gained control of the army but, in return, always faced resistance from the influential middle class. The poorest population, won over by his welfare policies, forms the social base of Chavismo. One of the unknowns in the projections about the president's absence is how this mass will behave without its charismatic leader.
In Latin America, Chávez's absence will have intense repercussions, since he is one of the main pillars of support for governments such as those of Argentina, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Venezuela currently considers Brazil one of its main trading partners.
"These complications are being addressed in a process that is not without risks," the vice president added solemnly, in a speech broadcast on mandatory radio and television.
Maduro explained that Chávez's health "remains delicate," but praised the "commander's physical and spiritual strength" to "face this difficult situation."