Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro has left Cuba, where Hugo Chavez remains,
still seriously ill following cancer surgery. Ramon Guillermo Aveledo, who's the Executive
Secretary of the opposition coalition- the Democratic Unity Table, says that full
and not partial power must now be handed over to Maduro. He says the Constitution
states this should be done if the President is out of the country for more than five
days. Aveledo argues that it's obvious that Hugo Chavez is not currently in control
and appropriate measures must be taken. National Assembly leader Diosdado Cabello,
who's going for re-election this Saturday, says the January 10th inauguration day
for Chavez can be extended. He's a political rival of Maduro. Maduro has left Cuba,
but Chavez's Son in Law Jorge Arreaza, who's Venezuela's Science Minister, says that
the President's brother Adan has now arrived in Havana. Arreaza describes the President's
condition as stable but delicate. Nothing has been directly heard from President
Chavez since his fourth cancer operation more than three weeks ago.
Listen
to the report from correspondent James Blears: