Ailing Chavez prays for recovery

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez attended Mass on Tuesday, joining friends and aides in praying for his recovery after undergoing cancer surgery.

Mr Chavez expressed confidence he will bounce back, promising supporters at an earlier event that he plans to remain in the presidency and accelerate his drive for socialism in Venezuela.

At the Mass held in Caracas’ Military Academy, Mr Chavez led a brief prayer and then closed his eyes as he listened to a priest speak.

The priest, Mario Moronta, said he would administer the sacrament of anointing the sick to Mr Chavez.

“Oftentimes, when one goes to a house where there is a sick person or to a hospital, many people get scared because it used to be called extreme unction, when there was nothing more to be done,” the priest said.

But he added that the sacrament is now seen as being “for the sick or elderly person to have strength ... to beat the illness”.

Fr Moronta, who is a personal friend of Mr Chavez, explained the sacrament saying he would apply “the oil of strength” to the President.

“There is no need to be afraid. Six years ago they did it to me twice. I was more there than here, and look where I am,” Fr Moronta said. “Sometimes I myself have seen people who have stood up from their sick bed in a moment of difficulty because it is celebrated with faith.”

He made a sign of the cross in oil on Mr Chavez’s forehead. Visibly moved, the President put his palms together and hugged the priest.

Mr Chavez was once an altar boy but has clashed in recent year with some Roman Catholic leaders in Venezuela, accusing them of lying about his government. Nevertheless, he says he remains a Christian and believes Jesus stood for principles similar to those of socialism.

Earlier in the day, Mr Chavez assured supporters that he is doing better after the June 20 surgery in Cuba and intends “to accompany you for many years more”.

“The opposition and the counterrevolution are crying out that Chavez is done for, that he’s dying... that he’ll have to hand over, that the transition is coming,” Mr Chavez said on state television, speaking in a phone call to a ceremony at a state-run university.

“Well, I’m going to tell you, with the grace of God and the will that we have, we’re going to rise above all of this,” Mr Chavez added. “The only transition that’s under way and that we have to accelerate and consolid-ate is the transition from the capitalist model ... to the socialist model.”

It was the latest in a series of appearances by Mr Chavez, who a day earlier was filmed doing stretching exercises with aides and military officers.

“One, two, three,” Mr Chavez said, wearing a warm-up suit as he led the group twisting side-to-side and swinging his arms in circles. Footage of the exercise session was aired on state television shortly before yesterday’s Mass.

Mr Chavez, who is up for re-election in December 2012, has been actively posting messages on Twitter and has appeared on television in the past several days addressing troops and leading a Cabinet meeting.

Mr Chavez has said he underwent surgery in Cuba to remove a cancerous tumour from his pelvic region. He has not said what type of cancer was involved.

Since his return to Caracas on July 4, the 56-year-old President has slowed his normally heavy agenda and has limited the length of his televised speeches, saying he is under strict orders from his doctors.

Still, Mr Chavez’s voice seemed strong as he launched into a song by Venezuelan folk singer Ali Primera during his call.