海角大神

Just a block away from President Hugo Ch谩vez鈥檚 presidential palace, worshippers at the Santa Capilla church are praying for his quick return to health.

Three weeks out of the spotlight for the leader have fueled rumors at home and abroad of health problems and concerns that the revolutionary may be on his way out as he languishes in a Cuban hospital bed.

鈥淎ll the churches of this country are praying for Ch谩vez," says Jimmy Olvas, sitting outside Santa Capilla with a boisterous group of domino players. 鈥淲e pray for him to return quickly and to recover fast.鈥�

While concerned, Ch谩vez supporters in Caracas 鈥� known as Chavistas 鈥� remain confident in their government.

鈥淥ur ministers are doing a good job and our Comandante will be back,鈥� says pensioner Pedro Torrulos as he stands under a large photo of Ch谩vez in a socialist canteen, one of the president鈥檚 headline-grabbing initiatives to feed the poor of Venezuela who make up the bulk of his support.

How is Ch谩vez doing?

Images and video of Ch谩vez alongside Cuba鈥檚 Fidel and Ra煤l Castro have been released in order to quell speculation. However, many are now questioning the date on which the photos were produced.

Compounding Ch谩vez鈥檚 long, silent absence are the contradictory statements of his government, which have only fueled speculation.

The statements of those in power signal that they are confused and themselves out of the loop. Deputy Foreign Minister Temir Porras announced on Twitter that his president was 鈥渞ecovering well鈥� earlier this week while his own boss, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro has described Ch谩vez鈥檚 鈥済reat battle鈥� for his health.

Ch谩vez's health issues apparently forced the government to cancel a long-planned Latin America summit scheduled for next week. The event was to be attended by many of the region鈥檚 heads of state with the aim of putting together plans for the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, essentially an organization designed to counter US influence in the region.

This was to coincide with Venezuela鈥檚 bicentenary. As a firebrand revolutionary, Ch谩vez always appears keen to grandstand at events that celebrate the break with colonization. Planning has been huge, and murals continue to be painted as helicopters swirl around Caracas in preparation for a military showcase on Tuesday. No announcement has been made on whether Ch谩vez will be attending but it is looking unlikely with the summit canceled.

Opposition seizes the moment

While Chavistas remain confident, the opposition has jumped at the opportunity to attack not only Ch谩vez and his government鈥檚 inability to give a straight answer as to his condition, but also the country鈥檚 ills. Henrique Capriles Radonski is a popular opposition leader and is most likely to win February鈥檚 primaries in order to fight Ch谩vez in next year鈥檚 presidential elections.

After a rally in the Caracas slum of Petare, he said that he was not impressed that the socialist leader鈥檚 health was stealing focus from Venezuela鈥檚 real troubles.

鈥淭he country's problems are not whether the president is or is not sick,鈥� he said in a supporter鈥檚 kitchen among balloons and excited children 鈥� eerily echoing Ch谩vez鈥檚 own immense public relations skills. 鈥淭o me the problem is what is going on in [the prisons], the electrical problem and all the problems that every day we must solve as Venezuelans.鈥�

He, like many analysts, believes that the whole situtation may be a political ploy in order to raise sympathy for Ch谩vez before a 鈥渢riumphant return鈥� next week. He takes little interest in a growing debate on whether Ch谩vez鈥檚 governance from Havana is legal, seeing it as a sideline to the real debate.

Other opposition figures disagree. 鈥淧retending to be the president from Havana is totally unacceptable and unconstitutional. Every decision that he makes ... is totally illegal,鈥� said opposition legislator Mar铆a Corina Machado. "This way of handling information is typical of totalitarian regimes,鈥� she continued. 鈥淚t shows a lack of responsibility and bravery at a crucial time for all of us.鈥�

Ominous warnings

Meanwhile, Ch谩vez鈥檚 elder brother Ad谩n 鈥� who has taken the lead on publicizing positive spin on the president鈥檚 health 鈥� had ominous warnings for the opposition.

鈥淚t would be inexcusable to limit ourselves to only the electoral and not see other forms of struggle, including the armed struggle,鈥� he said this week, quoting legendary Communist rebel fighter Ch茅 Guevara and reminding fans that taking up arms may be necessary to retain power should 2012 elections fail to continue Ch谩vez's "21st century socialism."

Back in the socialist canteen, Torruloc maintains his confidence in the old guard.

鈥淩emember that Fidel has been killed thousands of times,鈥� he said with a smile. 鈥淚f the opposition don't have Ch谩vez, they go crazy. Without Ch谩vez they're nothing, because they have nothing to talk about.鈥�

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