Chavez ally re-elected

(Vatican Radio) Venezuela's National Assembly has re-elected its Speaker Diosdado Cabello. This comes as little suprise as this organization is dominated by Chavez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Cabello is a staunch ally of Hugo Chavez and could become Interim Leader, if the President was too ill to continue, or died. He's also being seen as a political rival to Nicolas Maudro, who's Vice President and Chavez's hand picked successor. Both men have already visited Hugo Chavez in Cuba where he's trying to overcome a fourth cancer surgery, including pneumonia, which developed following the operation on December 11th.

Cabello's easy re-election clearly shows that the Chavez left wing socialist power structure remains firmly in place for the time being.

Both Cabello and Maduro haven't wavered from the rock solid support for the President, who looks unlikely to be well enough to attend next Thursday's Inauguration, and they're resisting opposition calls for a new Election.

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