Venezuelan VP Dismisses Chavez Death Rumors

Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro has dismissed rumors about Hugo Chavez's death.

Maduro has stated that leader is still ruling the country from his hospital ward.

Maduro added that Chavez had held a five-hour meeting with his aides and communicated with them by writing, although they had to have a break now and then.

Some Latin American media earlier cited the former Ambassador of Panama to the Organization of American States, Guillermo Cochez, as saying that President Hugo Chavez was brain dead.

Cochez said Wednesday that that Chavez's life-support was switched off four days ago.

Cochez claimed that Chavez suffered brain death on December 30. He also said that the Venezuelan leader was transported from Havana to Caracas last week so that his life support could be cut off in his home country.

Due to a relapse of his cancer, Chavez was not able to swear in for his 4th consecutive term in office in January 10.

This has sent Venezuela in a constitutional conundrum and embittered divisions between his supporters and the opposition.