Minister Villegas: President Chávez is aware of his situation

"The president (Hugo Chávez) is aware of his situation. He maintains communication with his Government staff, with his relatives in Havana, Cuba (...) The president is the president; there is no other president. I am sure that those who are making an evil bet on a fatal outcome will be very disappointed," said Minister of Information and Communication Ernesto Villegas, in an interview with journalist Vladimir Villegas in Union Radio.

The minister added that on January 10, a presidential term began "with the President of the Republic. We are not starting it without him. We are with him." Further, he warned that although the Head of State is not in Venezuela, he still rules. He said this is the same case of US President Barack Obama. "Sometimes he (Obama) has not been in the United States and he has continued to be in office. When a president is asleep, he is still the president. We cannot fall into the trap of thinking that Venezuela does not have a president."