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Chavez to Cuba for Fourth Round of Chemotherapy

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez traveled to Cuba late Saturday to begin a fourth round of chemotherapy to treat his cancer, saying it would "most likely be the last" round in the treatment.

After meeting here with visiting Bolivian President Evo Morales, on an "unofficial" visit to comfort Chavez during his ailment, the Venezuelan leader left for Cuba to begin treatment on Sunday, adding that he expects to return midweek.

Chavez, who had a tumor removed June 20 in Havana, has expressed confidence it would be his last before his "full recovery."

Morales is also traveling to Cuba for a two-day visit that will include "a working meeting" with Cuban leader Raul Castro, and to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Havana, where he will also give a lecture, Cuban state media said.

"Evo Morales, thanks for your visit," Chavez said. "Now you will visit Cuba and then you're off to the United Nations for a General Assembly missing that is going to be very interesting," Chavez said.

Little information has been released about the type of cancer afflicting 57-year-old Chavez, or details about his medical condition.

He underwent his first two rounds of chemotherapy in Havana, where doctors discovered the cancer after operating on him for an abdominal abscess.

On September 2, he concluded a third round at a Venezuelan military hospital.

Chavez, who has been in power since 1999, said he was confident he will be "fully recovered" to serve as host of a summit of Latin American and Caribbean leaders December 2-3 in Caracas.

The summit, which marks the creation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, was originally scheduled to be held in July but was postponed after Chavez learned he had cancer.

Source: Agence France Presse


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