Venezuelan Top Brass Meet with VP Maduro
HAVANA TIMES – Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro met with political and military leaders of the South American country in the Miraflores presidential palace late Tuesday morning, reported dpa news.
This high level meeting comes a day after the government acknowledged that President Hugo Chavez is suffering from a “severe respiratory infection” that has complicated his already delicate health, as he’s also being treated with chemotherapy to fight his reoccurring cancer.
The meeting began at 11:20 local time at the Ayacucho Hall of the presidential palace, according to the public media. The meeting was attended by the cabinet — led by Maduro (who is serving as interim president) — the 20 governors of the ruling Unified Socialist Party, and the military high command.
Also see: Chavez Suffers New Respiratory Infection
Chavez is at a Caracas military hospital receiving treatment for his latest recurrence of cancer, first detected in mid-2011. Since then he has undergone four operations in his “pelvic area.” The last procedure was performed in Havana this past December 11.
Meanwhile, a group of Chavez supporters are gathered outside the military hospital to pray and ask for the healing of their ailing leader.
In another development on Tuesday, VP Nicolas Maduro announced the expulsion of a military attaché at the US Embassy in Caracas, accusing him of conspiring against the stability of the country.
“This military office is air attache David David del Monaco, who has been expelled and has 24 hours to pack his bags and leave the country. Venezuela must be respected,” said Maduro in a television interview.
Dum De Dum Dum. Despite all the blowhard hyperbole about “being in control” and “holding 5-hour meetings”, it would appear that they are circling the wagons. Stay tuned for the Venezuelan army to begin staking out Caracas street corners in advance of the big announcement. The only question that remains is whether or not the chavistas will respect the constitution and schedule an election in 30 days or take a page out of Fidel’s book ‘Dictatorship for Dummies” and cancel elections “due to national security risks arising from the threat of foreign intervention”. Time will tell.