ht to Faustaand pelvic abcess
Looking thinner but standing straight and appearing energetic, Chavez strode across the tarmac of the Havana airport before boarding a plane.
In video aired by state television, he bade goodbye to Cuban President Raul Castro and then from the door of the airplane saluted, raised a fist, waved, and blew a kiss.
then collapsed in the plane
"It's the beginning of my return!" he declared from the runway in Venezuela shortly after arriving about 2 a.m. local time (2:30 a.m. EDT; 0630 GMT.)
cuz everyone flies home at 2AM. He looks like sh1t
Chavez's military chiefs stood behind the president as he spoke on the tarmac, the plane's engine still running. He wore a blue-and-white warmup suit as he stepped off the plane in the darkness and hugged his vice president, Elias Jaua, and his elder brother, Adan.
The president's illness and three-week stay in Cuba had political observers speculating that he could be gone for months, and some questioned whether he could realistically ever return to office.
gotta put out that fire
Chavez's sudden unexpected arrival Monday appeared to be his attempt to put that speculation to rest.
"I'm fine, really. Pining for the fjords."
Fausta has the video and notes: "He's also expected to name Nicolas Maduro as his vice-president. I do not know what the Venezuelan Constitution has to say on replacing the vice president, but rest assured that the internal power struggle in Chavismo is going on, as Chavez is expected to name an heir apparent."