Chavez says he's 'doing very well' after treatment

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez returned to Venezuela on Wednesday, saying he's "doing very well" following cancer treatment in Cuba.

After flying in to Simon Bolivar International Airport, Chavez met with several of his aides and political allies at the presidential palace in downtown Caracas.

Chavez and one of his confidants, Jose Vicente Rangel, chatted about an April 11, 2002, coup that briefly ousted the socialist leader. Chavez said the military rebellion failed because thousands of his supporters took to the streets to demand his return to power while numerous military officers remained loyal and rescued him from dissident generals who had flown him to a Caribbean island.

Chavez flew to Cuba last week for his third round of radiation therapy. He began the treatments in late March after having a tumor removed. He plans to have a total of five rounds in hopes of preventing a recurrence of his illness.

The president said he has been recovering well since surgery in February that removed a second tumor from his pelvic region.

He has regularly traveled to and from Cuba for cancer treatment since last June, when he says an initial surgery removed his first tumor, which was the size of a baseball.

Chavez has not identified the type of cancer or the precise location where the two tumors were.

The 57-year-old leader has vowed to overcome cancer and win re-election in October. His political foes argue Chavez is not fit to continue governing the country because his health is failing — an allegation the president vehemently denies.

Earlier Wednesday, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Chavez would attend this weekend's Summit of the Americas only if his doctors give him the green light to travel to Colombia's coastal city of Cartagena.

"It depends on his health, and depends on the doctors," said Santos, who spoke with Chavez by telephone Sunday.

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Christopher Toothaker on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ctoothaker