CARACAS (Reuters) ? Venezuela's convalescing President Hugo Chavez reappeared on Thursday, visiting a Caracas military base in an apparent attempt to show he was still fully in charge of his South American nation despite recent cancer surgery.
"We will live, we will conquer, Amen!" Chavez told military cadets and officers as he strolled, wearing a tracksuit and holding a microphone in a visit carried live on state TV.
The 56-year-old socialist leader, who had a cancerous tumor removed last month in Cuba, was back to his chatty self, but showed some discomfort in walking and looked pale.
"I don't have much time," he said, in contrast to his usual hours-long appearances during such events.
Chavez has reasserted political domination of the OPEC nation with his return to Caracas this week, but doubts remain over the precise state of his health.
One source close to his doctors has said Chavez has colon cancer and is facing lengthy chemotherapy treatment.
There has been no confirmation of that and senior government figures says he is recovering well.
On his visit to the academy of Venezuela's main Fuerte Tiuna military base, Chavez showed his usual attention to detail -- asking soldiers about their menus -- before presiding over a ceremony to greet cadets.
Senior military officers wore tracksuits, like Chavez.
Following big gains last week after Chavez's announcement that he had been operated on for cancer, Venezuela's widely-traded debt fluctuated sharply on Thursday.
The benchmark dollar-denominated 2027 global bond was down 0.812 point to bid at 74.438 with a yield of 13.084 percent. During early trading it had dropped to bid at 74.563, before recovering its losses.
Markets had initially interpreted Chavez's sickness as positive news for investors, hoping it meant a change to more business-friendly leadership. But fears of political chaos in a power vacuum have also crept in.
(Additional reporting by Daniel Wallis and Pascal Fletcher; Editing by Vicki Allen)
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