Venezuela president delegates powers

(Vatican Radio) Ailing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, has delegated some of his immense powers to his nominated Vice President. The National Assembly currently seems to have staunched the trickle of any political ferment developing further, by stating that options remain open, if Hugo Chavez is not physically inaugurated on January 10th. One possible option would be to send a delegation to the Venezuelan Embassy in Havana, which is technically Venezuelan territory. Another would be for him to take the oath before the Supreme Court at a later date. His supporters state that he's already been democratically elected. Back then, Chavez himself insisted he'd been completely cured, campaigned and won BUT he subsequently conceded that yet another cancer operation was vital.

Now it's been publically announced that Vice President Nicolas Maduro is empowered to take decisions about budget, expropriations and national debt. It's a practical way to run Venezuela on a day to day basis for the time being. Yet Maduro, who's a former Foreign Minister and a trusted ally of Chavez doesn't have his larger than life profile, or his portfolio of power built since 1999.

It's not just Venezuela which is watchful for a term prognosis. Caracas generously subsidizes its Cuban ally concerning vast oil exports and pours in substantial funds for infrastructure projects.

Listen to James Blears' report: