Fidel and Raul Castro visit Chavez in hospital

HAVANA - Former and current Cuban presidents Fidel and Raul Castro visited Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at a hospital here Friday, wishing him a quick recovery after having a lesion removed, Cuban official media reported Saturday.

Fidel Castro talked with the Venezuelan leader for more than two hours before Raul Castro joined them, the daily Granma said.

Chavez expressed his gratitude to the two Cuban leaders and the health staff at his service.

During the visit, Chavez received a phone call from Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who sent well wishes on behalf of her and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Chavez was recovering well and following a program of a well-balanced diet and an exercise routine, the report said.

The 57-year-old president arrived in Cuba a week ago to remove a lesion in his pelvis, the same place where a tumor, described by him as the size of a baseball, was removed last June in Havana.

The Venezuelan president visited Cuba four times in the previous year to receive chemotherapy treatments after he was diagnosed with cancer. He declared he had "defeated cancer" after the treatments.

Chavez's health has raised great concern among his supporters at home that the cancer may undermine his chances of securing a third term in office in the upcoming presidential election.

But Chavez tried to play down the consequences of his illness, saying he was "starting to fly again like a Condor" and that he would win the election scheduled for Oct. 7.

He also pledged to devote the rest of his life to the development of his country.

Cuba and Venezuela have long been close allies, as both countries share similar political ideologies. The island supplies professional services to Caracas while Venezuela provides 10,000 barrels of oil to Havana every day.