Chavez to Return to Venezuela, Approves Funding for Social Programs

President Hugo Chavez will return home to Venezuela within the next few days where he will begin a course of radiotherapy, he confirmed in a state program broadcast from Havana last night.  On Friday and Saturday thousands marched around the country to support him.

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Caracas, March 12th 2012 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – President Hugo Chavez will return home to Venezuela within the next few days where he will begin a course of radiotherapy, he confirmed in a state program broadcast from Havana last night. The Venezuelan mandate left for the Cuban capital over two weeks ago, where he underwent an operation to remove a cancerous lesion in his abdomen. He is reported to be recovering well from the surgery.

“I will return in the next few days,” he said, adding that he was also in a “generally good state of health, with no complications of any kind”.

Chavez’s announcement comes after his supporters took to the streets on Friday and Saturday in an act of solidarity with their President. Marches were held throughout the country and attracted tens of thousands of Venezuelans.

Luis Enrique Ereu, 19, and a member of the PSUV’s youth movement, attended the march in Caracas, where he said over 8000 people had turned out to support the president. He told Venezuelanalysis that he thought the rally was important to “thank the president for all the achievements of his administrations,” as well as to demonstrate that socialism is the only way to “save the planet and humanity” from capitalism and its wars.

“In my opinion it’s important, (to support Chavez) because right now he is the only person who is capable; who has morals, conscience and intelligence, who has humility and who cares about the masses… There is no one else who has those qualities or who can better them, Venezuela needs him”.

“It was great in the sense of seeing all of those happy people, conscious of why we are in this battle,” he added.

During last night’s two hour show Chavez thanked the people for their show of affection and applauded their “political maturity”, stating that Venezuela was a very “different country to that of 20 years ago”.

Chavez also approved funding for a series of social programs, including over 216 million Bolivars (US$ 50 million) for agro-industrial projects in an attempt to increase national food production. The ten agro-industrial projects include a yucca flour processing plant in Merida and a baby food factory in Barinas state. Other programs that will receive funding include the country’s great housing mission, the work and knowledge mission and a project to provide more access to sporting and games activities throughout the country.

The Venezuelan president said that as soon as he was back on Venezuelan soil he would begin preparing his campaign for this year’s presidential elections, stating that he was confident that he would once again lead the country’s United Socialist Party (PSUV) to the presidency.  

“There are less than seven months until the great victory, [and] this will be a memorable victory,” he said.