Chavez allies back Assembly chief

Allies of Venezuela’s cancer-stricken president Hugo Chavez have re-elected the National Assembly president – a man who could be in line to step in as a caretaker leader.

The vote to retain Diosdado Cabello as legislative leader signalled the ruling party’s desire to stress unity and continuity amid growing signs that the government plans to postpone Mr Chavez’s inauguration for a new term while he fights a severe respiratory infection nearly a month after cancer surgery in Cuba.