President Chávez throwing kiss from Balcón del Pueblo at the presidential palace at Miraflores to the thousands who have turned out to greet him and welcome him back from his second surgery in Cuba.

President Chávez returned to Venezuela today after spending 3 weeks in Cuba for a second surgery to remove a lesion that appeared at the original surgical site. This surgery will be followed up with raditation therapy. The Gramma International article below bears the title, " Chávez: Desire to live strengthened." Many times the president has said that he derives his strength, will and inspiration to lead the revolution from the people themselves. Once I heard him interviewed by a US media personality who asked him, "Why do the people love you so much?" He answered, "Because I love them. Love is reciprocal."

Tens of thousands of flag-waving Venezuelans are at the presidential palace at Miraflores and marching in the streets of Caracas and in other Venezuelan cities and towns today, greeting and welcoming the president with posters, written messages, live music, dancing, thrown kisses and interviews of the public - and chants of Pa'lante Commandante! (Forward Commander!) Arriba el Pueblo!

The president has just now appeared on Balcon del Pueblo at Miraflores with troops waving a flag on the roof and thousands in the plaza celebrating him. The president is surrounded by his daughters, ministers and military officers. Chávez sings a high-energy song of los llaneros to the people, followed by a small boy in the audience singing a powerful tribute to the president. With this powerful return he nullifies opposition and corporate media rumors and any anxiety the people may have had about his illness as the 2012 national elections approach. Anything is possible of course but today, the president appears stronger and sounds more energetic than ever. Truly, nothing can be more inspiring than to see a socialist head of state and the people mutually empowered! We now settle in for the president's speech as he greets every sector of Venezuelan society. If you tune in now you can watch this live on VTV. Click on "Señal en Vivo" in the upper right corner of the page.

The following report was published in Cuba's Gramma International on March 12.

¡Uh Ah Chavez No Se Va!!

¡El Pueblo Unido, Jamás Será Vencido!

- Les Blough in Venezuela

Chávez: Desire to live strengthened
Gramma Internatonal
March 12, 2011

PRESIDENT Hugo Chávez stated during a special television program broadcast from Havana on March 11 that his post-operative checks have revealed no complications.

Chávez thanked Fidel and the Cuban people for all the support he has received, and the Venezuelan people and the country’s national institutions for "once again demonstrating the great political, social maturity, the great optimism… inundating Venezuela’s streets and cities."

He observed that in these circumstances, "one’s desire to live is strengthened." During his address he read the medical report released 13 days after he underwent surgery, emphasizing his good general state of health.

He affirmed, "The vital parameters are normal, with daily follow up, good cicatrization and walks I take every day." He announced that he is to begin radiotherapy treatment in the next few weeks.

Chávez said that he continues "on his longest and most difficult walk – in the short term headed for the battle of Carabobo (as he has called the October 7 presidential elections) in order to achieve a great victory and a memorable triumph."

Chávez called on his supporters to deploy themselves "to ensure peace, the country’s stability, with much love, with much intelligence (...), so that the opposition forces can no nothing against us or defeat us in the streets, at the ballot boxes or anywhere else," The opposition is the anti-homeland, he added. (SE)

Source: Gramma International