Venezuela President Chavez conscious, responding to treatment

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is responding favourably to treatment for a respiratory infection, the nation's government announced Sunday hours after thousands supporting the cancer-stricken president held rallies across the country.

The rallies came amid complaints by the opposition that it was unconstitutional for the government to indefinitely postpone the socialist leader's inauguration, which had been set for Thursday. The opposition also has been demanding the government provide more information about Chavez's medical condition.

Chavez, who was re-elected Oct. 7, hasn't spoken publicly or been seen since the operation, leading to anxiety among Venezuelans about the country. If he is unable to take office, Venezuela's constitution says new elections must be called within 30 days.

On Saturday, Villegas said that Vice-President Nicolas Maduro, who has been designed by Chavez as his successor, had met with Venezuela's leader since flying to Cuba on Friday.

"Maduro reports that he gave the president a report about the demonstrations of the people's support," Villegas said in a message posted on the Twitter social networking site.

In Caracas on Sunday, Elias Jaua, a close Chavez confidant and former vice-president, urged a crowd of government supporters to "be active in defence of the constitution, in defence of Commander Hugo Chavez's popular mandate."