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Ailing Chavez Rallies Crowd

Posted: 11:44 AM Jul 14, 2011
Reporter: Associated Press

Ailing President Hugo Chavez rallied hundreds of supporters in a Caracas plaza on Thursday, singing folk songs and calling cancer one of his life's greatest battles.

Chavez wore fatigues and the red beret from his days as an army paratroop commander. After a flag-raising ceremony and a brief speech, he joined a Venezuelan joropo band in singing songs from the rural plains where he grew up.

"Long live the plains!" Chavez said with a smile.

Chavez's speech in Plaza Bolivar followed several days in which he appeared before smaller groups at Caracas' Military Academy or spoke to the nation on television.

Chavez has been limiting his public appearances since returning to Venezuela on July 4, two weeks after undergoing surgery in Cuba to remove a cancerous tumor from his pelvic region. The afternoon of his return, he addressed thousands of supporters from a balcony of the presidential palace.

He revealed Wednesday for the first time that he expects to undergo chemotherapy or radiation treatment in an upcoming phase of care.

"I'm facing one of the biggest battles of my life," Chavez told the crowd Thursday. "With the grace of God we will also win it."

He also called for an "eternal revolution" while vowing to push ahead with his socialist-inspired Bolivarian Revolution movement, which is named after 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar.

"The Bolivarian Revolution, the socialist revolution... will never again leave here," Chavez said.

He and government officials have not said what type of cancer is involved. Chavez has said a tumor the size of a baseball was removed.

Supporters clapped and cheered for Chavez during Thursday's ceremony, which was part of the country's bicentennial celebrations. Chavez raised the flag over the plaza in downtown Caracas while the national anthem was played.

Chavez's unannounced appearance was broadcast live on all of the country's television and radio stations. The government regularly takes over the airwaves under what is called a "national network" for events deemed important.

"I wanted to come here to accompany you physically because these days I've been accompanying you ... with my spirit, with my soul rather than my body, for the reasons you all know," Chavez told the crowd.

An announcer at the plaza told the crowd: "Long live El Comandante Hugo Chavez!"

The crowd responded with chants of: "Onward commander!"

Chavez waved and blew a kiss to the crowd.