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Hugo Chavez dies at the age of 58

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela died at the age of 58, Nicolas Maduro

CARACAS, March 6 (Itar-Tass) - President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela died at the age of 58, Nicolas Maduro, Vice-President of the Republic, announced Tuesday in a live broadcast on all national TV channels.

The first operation to remove a cancerous tumour was performed on Chavez in June 2011. Following that, he underwent four courses of chemotherapy, after which he announced his triumph over cancer. However, several months later during a control medical examination, physicians spotted a new tumour in the pelvis area, i.e. the same spot where the malignant tumour had been removed earlier.

In February 2012, the tumour was removed in the same Havana-based clinic where the first operation had been performed on Chavez. Subsequently he took a radiotherapy treatment course, making regular trips to Cuba. Early in July he told journalists that he "completely got rid of cancer".

In October last year, Chavez won presidential elections but had to go to Cuba in December again for a third oncological operation. After that, he stayed at the Havana clinic for two months and was brought home two weeks ago and placed at the capital's military hospital.