• Submitted by: manso
• International
• 06 / 26 / 2011

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Published: June 26, 2011 at 10:22 AM. CARACAS, Venezuela, June 26 (UPI) -- Political unease is mounting in Venezuela over the 18-day absence of President Hugo Chavez, recuperating in Cuba from secretive surgery, analysts said.

Chavez, who turns 57 next month, left Venezuela June 8 for three diplomatic visits, but took ill in Havana June 10 while meeting with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Chavez aides in Caracas said he underwent surgery for an infected pelvic abscess, and said he would remain in Cuba for 10-12 more days, but didn't elaborate further, The Washington Post said.

His brother Adan said last week the president should be back in Caracas by the first week of July, the Havana Times said.

There were reports Chavez was signing government bills while in Cuba and had sent out upbeat Twitter messages as late as Friday.

However, one of his political critics, Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma, told the Post the country needed a leader at home.

"You cannot run a country via Twitter," he said.

Vice President Elias Jaua has rejected demands he be temporarily sworn in as leader until Chavez returns home, The Wall Street Journal said.

Daniel Kerner, a Latin America analyst at the Eurasia Group, told the Journal in his 12 years of power, Chavez "has made it difficult for anyone to rise to that level where they can be seen as a replacement."

Source: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/06/26/