Lack of Chávez running mate concerns some

CARACAS -- When he takes the stage at campaign rallies, Hugo Chávez stands alone.

Under Venezuela's election system, presidential hopefuls don't choose running mates, and that raises few eyebrows in normal years.

But this has not been a normal year. Chávez, 58, has been fighting a mysterious cancer, and the lack of a prospective No. 2 has left voters wondering who would take over were Chávez to win next month's elections but be forced to leave office prematurely.

Nearly alone among South American nations, Venezuelan law leaves designation of a vice president until after the new leader is sworn in.

Campaigning against 40-year-old rival Henrique Capriles, Chávez seldom mentions his health, which over the past 15 months has required frequent trips to Cuba for three surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. When asked last week, Chávez said his last checkup in June showed he was cancer-free. Still, even some loyal supporters who plan to vote for him on Oct. 7 acknowledge feeling uneasy.

"I love Chávez and I want him to remain in power for many more years, but I must confess that some people like me have suspicions that he hasn't told us the whole truth about his cancer," said Maria Lovera, a street vendor.

Some say identifying a vice president now could cause divisions within Chávez's movement. And because none of Chávez's possible vice-presidential candidates has anywhere near his popularity, choosing one might alienate some sectors or prove less appealing to voters still on the fence.

Venezuela's constitution says that if a president-elect dies before taking office, new elections would be called. If a president dies during the first four years of the six-year term, the vice president would temporarily take over, but a new election would be held.