Venezuela's ailing Chávez delegates some powers

[naaman fletcher]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez delegated some powers to his vice president and finance minister on Saturday, hours before a planned departure to Cuba for cancer treatment.

Chávez resisted calls from the opposition to temporarily hand over the presidency of the OPEC nation to Vice President Elias Jaua during his absence. Instead, he gave Jaua and Finance Minister Jorge Giordani powers that include budgetary matters.

"I am going to delegate some decisions that until now were mine, signatures and decisions, to Vice President Elias Jaua and Jorge Giordani," Chávez said during a televised cabinet meeting.

Chávez had a large tumor removed last month in Cuba and was set to return to the Caribbean island on Saturday for chemotherapy. He has not said what type of cancer he has or for how long he will be out of the country.

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/73225/venezuelas-ailing-ch%C3%A1vez-delegates-some-powers