Hugo's last hurrah

摘要

A year ago Hugo Chavez had a "base-ball-sized" tumour extracted from his pelvic region. In February he needed another operation, after the (still officially unspecified) cancer returned. During the past 12 months Venezuela's president has required, according to opposition estimates, some 200 days of treatment and/or rest. In the past month he has been seen only in the briefest of television clips, some of them seemingly designed to show that he can still walk.