Venezuelan gov't admits that Chávez still has trouble breathing

Despite asserting that President Hugo Chávez is evolving "favorably," the Venezuelan government on Saturday acknowledged that he still has some breathing problems due to a respiratory infection acquired after the operation he underwent 45 days ago to remove a third malignant tumor in one year and a half.

The information was provided by Minister of Communication and Information Ernesto Villegas, who on Saturday read the latest report on Chávez's health from the city of Santiago de Chile (Chile), where he is accompanying Vice-President Nicolás Maduro and Foreign Minister Elías Jaua at the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) and the first Celac-EU Summit.

In his statement, which was read in a mandatory radio and television broadcast, Villegas also said that Chávez is receiving again treatments against what he called the "basic disease," that is cancer. However, he would not disclose the treatments.

The official noted that President Chávez, to the extent permitted by his convalescence, is addressing government affairs, such as "reading documents" and holding meetings with "government leaders." However, Villegas would not say whether Chávez can return to Venezuela in the near future for his swearing-in and resuming his duties.