Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez declared himself fully recovered from cancer on Monday, three months before an election in which he is seeking another six-year term."Free, free, totally free," he told reporters when asked if he was free of the disease that struck a year ago.
"this time I'm not listening to the doctors. I'm declaring myself cancer-free!"
The 57-year-old socialist leader was first diagnosed with cancer in the pelvic region in mid-2011. He wrongly declared himself cured at the end of that year before having a recurrence of the disease in February.
"oops"
But after repeated cycles of treatment in Cuba and Venezuela, Chavez is once again declaring himself fully fit at a crucial time when his health is the main wild card before the October 7 presidential vote.
"I feel...happy!"
Perceptions of Chavez's ability to campaign for the election, and govern afterwards, are crucial among voters in what could be one of Venezuela's tightest elections of recent times.
He's cured. Then he'll have more chemo and radiation and be cured again. He'll be disease-free to the moment the cancer kills him...
soooo. Let's check back in a couple weeks, k?