Venezuelan doctor Jose Rafael Marquina, who is based in the
US and is known for his accurate prognoses on President Hugo Chavez’s health,
told a local Florida radio that the Venezuelan leader Chavez has “between two
and three months to live”
Dr Jose Rafael Marquina says he strongly suggested having
treatment in the US
and not in Cuba
because they lack experience in his kind of cancer
“The disease has entered an aggressive stage. He has metastases in the lumbar
area, compressing nerves around the lumbar area of his backbone, which may lead
to paralysis,” said Marquina, who claims to have access to first-hand sources
and information about the president’s health.
“I feel I must say the truth. It was anticipated that Chavez
condition would rapidly deteriorate in December. It is very sad news”, added
Marquina.
The scientist revealed that during the electoral campaign
Chavez was already in a very delicate condition but supported the pain with
drugs stronger than morphine. He added that he repeatedly suggested to Chavez
to travel to the US
since in Cuba
‘they have no experience in these cases”.
Peruvian oncologist and long established in the US,
Elmer Huerta coincided with the diagnosis of his peer Marquina saying the
cancer was in a ‘terminal phase’ and surgery was only ‘palliative’. He added
that as the disease advances the patient could suffer dementia in the coming
weeks.
“The fact he is on mechanical respiration and with a sceptic
shock gives an idea of how serious the patient’s situation is”, added Huerta.
Currently he is being treated with several antibiotics “but
we must wait 72 hours to see if the patient reacts to treatment. This same
infectious process leads to a sceptic shock with a 60% mortality rate”,
indicated Dr. Marquina.
Chavez announced on national television late Saturday that
he was flying to Cuba
for new cancer surgery, and named Vice-President and Foreign Minister Nicolas
Maduro as his possible successor.
Chavez, 58, who has ruled Venezuela
for 14 years, underwent three operations for cancer and four courses of
chemotherapy in Cuba
and Venezuela
within a year.
He said that recent tests had revealed malignant cells.
Chavez, who was re-elected for another six-year presidential term in October,
said the pain he felt were due to strain during the election campaign and
radiation therapy treatment, adding that surgery was vital, and an illness like
this always carried risk.
Meanwhile in Venezuela
there are hopes Chavez can return for his third mandate January 10 taking
office ceremony in Caracas and then
return immediately to Cuba,
which would ensure Nicolas Maduro as his successor and thus avoid calling new
elections.
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