( Sep 5, 2009 – Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, has given his backing to Iran’s nuclear programme, which world powers suspect of having non-peaceful aims. )

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July 1, 2011 – Chavez cancer confirmation stuns Venezuela

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stunned the nation on Thursday night in a 15-minute address on state television in which he acknowledged that he had a tumor but has undergone a successful operation in Cuba and was on the road to recovery.

In his emotional speech from Cuba, the 56-year-old Venezuelan president said “an abscessed tumor with cancerous cells” was discovered after doctors had already operated and treated a pelvic abscess, adding that the tumor was operated on again without any complications and removed.