Venezuela's socialist leader Hugo Chavez says he has had surgery to remove a cancerous tumour.
The announcement from Cuba confirmed rumours swirling for nearly three weeks, but still stunned Venezuelans ahead of what was already looking like a tight presidential election next year.
Speaking from Havana where he underwent surgery on 10 June, a pale and emotional Mr Chavez gave no indication when he would return to Venezuela other than saying it would be 'soon'.
He also did not name a temporary substitute to lead the nation of 29m people.
'They confirmed the existence of a tumorous abscess, with the presence of cancerous cells, which needed another operation to extract the tumour completely,' he said in his first address since his surgery.
Mr Chavez, 56, said he was receiving 'complementary treatments to combat different types of cells that were found' - possibly implying chemotherapy.
'I deeply appreciate the demonstrations of solidarity by Venezuelans and other brotherly people,' he added.
Mr Chavez did not say where the tumour was found or what type of cancer was detected.
Until yesterday, the official line had been that he was recovering well from an operation to remove a pelvic abscess and would return soon.
Mr Chavez has ruled Venezuela since 1999 and survived a short-lived coup attempt in 2002.
