PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ: "I find myself before my highest mountain and my longest walk..."

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez turned to philosophy and Twitter to describe his efforts to beat cancer on Monday, summoning the words of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.


"I find myself before my highest mountain and my longest walk," Chavez said in a message posted on his Twitter account. "That's how Zarathustra spoke!"

That quoted a passage from Nietzsche's treatise "Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None."

Nietzsche's book focuses on a prophet who reflects on his life as he descends from a mountain retreat and returns to mix with mankind. Chavez occasionally quotes the German philosopher in his speeches.

Chavez's government also said Monday that the president is recovering quickly after undergoing surgery last month that removed a cancerous tumour.

Chavez remarked on his health during a telephone conversation with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday while exercising outdoors, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Chavez told the Russian leader "that he has experienced a rapid recovery from the complex operation," the Foreign Ministry said, adding that the president has been undergoing a first phase of rehabilitation.

It said that "has generated an optimal scenario" as he starts a second phase of recuperation, adding that Chavez now has a "feeling of realistic optimism."

Chavez has said he underwent surgery in Cuba on June 20 to remove a tumour from his pelvic region. Chavez hasn't said what type of cancer is involved.

Since his return to Caracas on July 4, the 56-year-old president has slowed his normally heavy agenda and has limited the length of his televised speeches, saying he is under strict orders from his doctors.

The Foreign Ministry said Medvedev wished Chavez a speedy recovery and told him he could count on Russia's help if needed. It said Medvedev told him that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov plans to visit Caracas on Aug. 22-23, and that he hopes to host Chavez in Moscow soon.

Chavez's remarks followed other optimistic assessments by his allies.

Bolivian President Evo Morales, who visited the Venezuelan leader last week, told Colombian radio station Caracol on Sunday that Chavez "has survived the bad moment, the worst."

Aristobulo Isturiz, a prominent member of Venezuela's ruling party, dismissed allegations from opposition politicians that Chavez is not fit to govern due to his illness. He told a news conference on Monday that Chavez is diligently attending to his duties as president.

"The president is governing, and he has not stopped governing for a single moment," Isturiz said. "Despite his process of recuperation, he's been working."

Another ally, former Venezuelan Vice-President Jose Vicente Rangel, said in an interview with the Colombian magazine Semana that "for the moment he's not going to need chemo."

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez does not have colon cancer and does not currently need chemotherapy, his former vice president told Colombian media, without detailing Chavez's exact condition.




Chavez staged a triumphant return to Venezuela on Monday after cancer surgery in Cuba but doubts remain as to whether he is strong enough to run the OPEC nation and whether he will be able to have a full-scale campaign for the 2012 presidential election.

WHAT HUGO CHAVEZ HAS?

"He is sick but he is not gravely ill," Jose Vicente Rangel said in an interview with Colombia's Semana magazine published on Saturday. "I know that the cancer he has is not colon (cancer) and that for the moment he will not need chemotherapy."

One source close to Chavez's doctors has told the president does have colon cancer and will undergo chemotherapy treatment that could last several months.

Officials at the presidential palace did not immediately respond to requests for clarification on the issue. Senior government officials say the president is recovering well but have not said what sort of cancer he was treated for.

Rangel, who was Chavez's vice president for five years, now works as a journalist and is not a member of the government.

Chavez had a June 10 operation in Cuba to remove a pelvic abscess and later had a second operation for an unspecified type of cancer.

A considerable deterioration of Chavez' condition could upend politics in Venezuela, which has been dominated for 12 years by his self-styled socialist revolution.

Since returning home, the convalescing Chavez has considerably scaled back his long-winded oratories, such as his Sunday talk show, which sometimes stretched for more than eight hours, opting instead for brief half-hour television appearances.

COPA AMERICA 2011: Venezuela resolute as Brazil fire blanks

Brazil made a tame entrance into the Copa America today, missing a host of chances in a goalless draw with unfancied Venezuela at the Estadio Unico in La Plata.


The five-times world champions had chances - Milan's Pato notably hitting the woodwork early on. But the expected cohesion between the team never materialised and it was soon apparent there would be no repeat of A Seleção's 7-0 thumping of La Vinotinto in their 1999 group opener.

Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho accounted for four of the goals that day and before today's match-up the Brazilians had won all five previous meetings between the two nations in the competition, scoring 25 goals while conceding just one.

But the baseball-loving Venezuelans have come on since then in leaps and bounds, and the only South American country never to make it to the FIFA World Cup finals™ even managed a goalless draw in Brazil during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Seleção coach Mano Menezes admitted the outcome was disappointing. "In the the first half we had chances but in the second it was different. We were generally a bit lacking - and Venezuela worked like Trojans," he admitted afterwards. Brazil now go on to face Paraguay on Saturday in Cordoba and Menezes said that "that will be another game."

Counterpart Cesar Farias was delighted with a battling showing. "It's historic in terms of the Copa America. Brazil played well but we deserve praise for holding them," said Farias. "When we had the chance to play a bit we did and when we had to defend like gladiators we did that too."

Selecao coach Mano Menezes sent out an attack-minded line-up, led by Santos' precocious talents Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso, who arrived at the event fresh from winning the Copa Libertadores. With Robinho and Pato also to call in up front, Brazil made an early statement of intent.

It's historic in terms of the Copa America. Brazil played well but we deserve praise for holding them.Cesar Farias, Venezuela coach

But they did not follow through. Ganso won his only cap in Menezes' first match in charge - a 2-0 friendly win last August over the United States but is being talked of as a future mainstay in the side. However, he and his team-mates repeatedly ran into cul de sacs against a resolute Venezuelan defence determined not to be cast as pushovers.

Pato made an early foray forward but failed to bring the ball under control, then had a header easily claimed by Venezuela keeper Renny Vega before the latter held a shot from the AC Milan forward at the second attempt. Pato then hit the bar as Brazil continued to be frustrated.

Venezuela were not to be outdone and the impressive Tomas Rincon was held up in his tracks when he was set for a clean run on goal as Bolivian referee Raul Orozco elected to stop play for a foul by Thiago Silva ten minutes before the break. Brazil then were unlucky as Neymar fed Robinho but Oswaldo Vizcarrondo made a last ditch block on the line. Ganso found Neymar again minutes but he missed the target.

The Brazilians have their eye firmly on the 2014 FIFA World Cup which they will host - yet they are also after their ninth Copa and fifth in the past six editions. They first won the regional championship in 1919, adding further triumphs in 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004 and 2007. Argentina and Uruguay hold the record with 14 each.

The favourites continued to press after the break - but had a scare on 59 minutes when Salmon Rondon went down after tangling with Silva in the box. But Orozco booked Rondon for simulation.

Menezes rolled the dice on the hour, withdrawing Robinho and sending on Fluminense's Fred. Yet it was Venezuela who came close next as Juan Arango dragged an effort wide Elano and Lucas Silva came on for the tiring Pato and Ramires with 15 minutes remaining but the resolute Venezuelan defence, in which Roberto Rosales and Vizcarrondo were outstanding, held firm.

España no tuvo piedad y goleó a Venezuela en duelo amistoso

Los actuales campeones del mundo se impusieron 3-0 sobre la "Vinotinto", que se prepara para la Copa América.

La expectación por ver al campeón del mundo fue tremenda en Venezuela. Y los fanáticos, desde ese punto de vista, no se fueron disconformes del José Antonio Anzoátegui de Puerto La Cruz, puesto que España demostró toda su categoría. El problema es que eso jugó en contra del combinado local, que cayó inapelablemente por 3-0, en un amistoso preparativo para la próxima Copa América.




El cuadro ibérico sólo tuvo que mostrar chispazos de su calidad para derrotar por un cómodo y contundente 3-0 a Venezuela, en duelo amistoso disputado en el estadio , que sirve a los dueños de casa como preparación para la Copa América de Argentina 2011.



Los actuales campeones del mundo no tuvieron que despeinarse para imponerse a la "Vinotinto", y con una formación estelar sólo necesitaron de un tiempo para marcar diferencias.



La primera conquista llegó de la mano del ariete del Barcelona David Villa, cuando recién se habían jugado cinco minutos de partido mediante un tiro libre que contó con gran complicidad del portero Renny Vega.



El 2-0 fue obra de Pedro Rodríguez, quien aprovechó una gran combinación con el "Guaje", cuando recién corría el minuto 20'. Tras la segunda conquista los llaneros apretaron más, pero los actuales monarcas de Europa quienes sentenciaron el duelo, nuevamente mediante pelota parada, aunque esta vez desde los pies de Xabi Alonso.



Ya con la cómoda ventaja en el marcador, Vicente del Bosque aprovechó la segunda mitad para hacer debutar a figuras como Manu del Moral, delantero del Getafe recién fichado por el Sevilla.



Venezuela, en tanto, se queda con la preocupación de un débil juego ofensivo, a menos de un mes de que se inicie la Copa América de Argentina. Y es que aunque a categoría del adversario es innegable, carecieron de claridad para definir en las ocasiones que se generaron.



De esta forma España acabó con éxito su gira americana. El sábado pasado se impuso también a Estados Unidos en Boston (0-4).