CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ended a week-long silence on Friday to say he was resting, following a diet and trying to tame his workaholic ways as he recovers from cancer treatment.
The usually garrulous and attention-seeking Chavez's disappearances from public view have become longer and more frequent this year. That has fueled speculation his condition has worsened and may complicate a re-election bid in October.
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console.log("BODY2. CatId is:"+catID);if(catID==120){console.log("BODY. YES for anyclip script");document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js'; script.setAttribute('pubname','jpostcom'); script.setAttribute('widgetname','0011r00001lcD1i_12258'); document.getElementsByClassName('divAnyClip')[0].appendChild(script);}else if(catID!=69 && catID!=2){console.log("BODY. YES for vidazoo script");document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none"; var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://static.vidazoo.com/basev/vwpt.js'; script.setAttribute('data-widget-id','60fd6becf6393400049e6535'); document.getElementsByClassName('divVidazoo')[0].appendChild(script); }Allies in the ruling Socialist Party say the 57-year-old leader remains on top of government affairs and is not mulling a succession. Chavez said he was working less than before his illness, but still about eight hours a day.
"Unfortunately, I can't carry on being the wild horse I was. I will rest and get well again," he said during the roughly 90-minute phone call, speaking in a firm voice an d twice breaking into song.
"I didn't used to sleep, now I'm working as the law dictates - just eight hours a day, resting, following a diet," the former soldier said. "I've spent this week shut away here working ... I'll steadily be getting better."
