CARACAS鈥擮pposition lawmakers were angered Wednesday that President Hugo Chavez enacted a law from Cuba, arguing that his absence was unconstitutional and that he could not govern from abroad.
The 56-year-old Venezuelan leader arrived in Cuba on June 8 on the final leg of a trip authorized by the National Assembly that also included Brazil and Ecuador.
He was rushed into emergency surgery last Friday after suffering sharp pain that was diagnosed as a pelvic abscess that required immediate surgery.
Chavez is reportedly recovering well, though the government has given no date for his return to Caracas.
Opposition legislators, who control 40 percent of Venezuela鈥檚 single-chamber legislature, argue that his prolonged absence means that Vice President Elias Jaua should replace him.
They traded insults with pro-Chavez lawmakers, who insisted 鈥� as government loyalist Iris Varela put it 鈥� that Chavez does not stop being president 鈥渆ven if he鈥檚 on the Moon, or in Beijing.鈥�
Another legislator, constitutional scholar Carlos Escarra, said it was 鈥渁bsurd鈥� to claim that the president could not govern simply because he was abroad.
According to Venezuela鈥檚 constitution, the National Assembly must authorize any presidential trip abroad lasting more than five days, and any 鈥渢emporary absences鈥� of up to 90 days are filled by the vice president.
Escarra said the government is complying with the constitution because the legislature authorized his trip abroad.
Opposition lawmakers, however, demanded that a 鈥渢emporary absence鈥� be declared and that the vice president replace Chavez.
The president 鈥渃annot govern from abroad,鈥� said lawmaker Omar Barboza, who was especially angered over the measure that Chavez signed into law from Havana.
It is 鈥渁bsolutely irregular to enact laws from abroad,鈥� said Enrique Sanchez Falcon, a professor of constitutional law at the Central University of Venezuela. 鈥淭he vice president should temporarily take over,鈥� he told AFP.
鈥淰enezuela has been humiliated because either it is governed by Chavez from Cuba or by (Cuban leader) Fidel (Castro),鈥� charged opposition lawmaker Maria Corina Machado.
Communist Cuba is Chavez鈥檚 staunchest ally in the region.
Eventually the National Assembly authorized Chavez to stay in Cuba 鈥渦ntil he is in condition to return.鈥�
A pelvic abscess is a pus-filled cavity normally caused by an infection. Treatment usually involves a surgical drainage and dead tissue removal, experts said. Most patients are able to walk within 24 hours after surgery, however, they often experience some discomfort for several days, according to experts.