Venezuela’s vice president says he’s target of assassination plot

Venezuela's Vice President Maduro and Venezuela's National Assembly President Cabello greet supporters during a rally to commemorate the collapse of the last Venezuelan dictatorship in CaracasCARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro said unidentified groups had entered the country with the aim of assassinating him and the head of the National Assembly as President Hugo Chavez recovers from cancer in Cuba. Maduro provided no proof of the claim, made at a rally on Wednesday to mark the end of a dictatorship in the OPEC nation 55 years ago, but he said action would be taken shortly. …

Maduro stands in for Venezuela’s ailing Chavez in key speech

Venezuela's Vice President Maduro delivers the state of nation address to national assembly in CaracasCARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro gave a brief state of the nation address on Tuesday in place of his ailing boss, Hugo Chavez, who has not been seen in public since going to Cuba for cancer surgery more than a month ago. Maduro stood in for Chavez with a 10-minute speech to Congress in which he defended the president's decision to rule the OPEC nation from a hospital bed in Havana, despite opposition calls for him to step aside and name a temporary leader. …

Venezuela’s Chavez says tests show him in good health

Venezuela's President Chavez salutes after a meeting with Belarus' First Deputy PM Semashko at Miraflores Palace in CaracasCARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Saturday medical tests following his cancer treatment show he is in good health, but provided few additional details about an illness that has become an obsession in the OPEC nation. The former soldier's health is seen a key factor in his re-election bid because a serious relapse of his cancer could limit his ability to campaign ahead of the October 7 vote and potentially tip the balance toward opposition challenger Henrique Capriles. …