Chávez's Faces Surgery, Lesion Likely Malignant (CARACAS, Venezuela) - President Hugo Chávez announced Tuesday that doctors in Cuba found a new lesion in the same place where a cancerous tumor was removed last year and said he will shortly return to the island to have it surgically removed. He told Venezuelans he did not know if the lesion is malignant but that the probability is high, adding that they should not expect to see him in coming weeks as he will likely need localized radiation therapy. See more on the upcoming Venezuelan election. "I'm not going to be able to continue with the same rhythm," Chávez told state TV via telephone Tuesday night, adding that he would need to "rethink my personal agenda and take care of myself, confront what must be confronted." Initialy announcing the lesion in an afternoon state TV appearance from his home state of Barinas, Chávez said the lesion was about "two centimeters (less than one inch) in diameter, very clearly visible." He said it would be removed by the same surgeons who excised a tumor from his pelvic region last June, and expected the new operation would be less complicated. Chávez, 57, did not say when he would depart for Cuba. He said he would attend to government business Wednesday, including signing papers, meeting with the Cabinet and armed forces leaders. He said he would head for Havana "without haste. All in good time. A leading Colombian oncologist, Dr. Carlos Castro, said that if Chávez undergoes radiation therapy that typically means a minimum of 10 daily sessions, which means Chávez would need to name a temporary replacement while undergoing treatment. From July to September, Chávez received four rounds of chemotherapy, both in Cuba and in Venezuela, and subsequently said tests showed he was cancer-free. On Tuesday, Chávez denied rumors that the cancer had spread aggressively. See more on Chávez's battle with cancer. He has never specified the cancer's exact nature or location, and critics have repeatedly accused Chávez of a lack of transparency. She predicted "a tight race (will get) even tighter" against opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, a 39-year-old state governor. He said rumors, including that the cancer has been spreading, prompted him to go public. He had been out of public sight since Friday, not announcing his trip to Cuba. His government's handling of unconfirmed reports that he spent the weekend there undergoing medical tests turned out to be ham-fisted. Also Monday, an employee of the Venezuela Embassy in Havana said there was no indication Chávez had gone to Cuba or planned to do so. The person did say that some members of the presidential family were in Cuba but had already left. Chávez, whose approval ratings have topped 50 percent in recent polls, has in recent weeks recovered the hair he shaved off during chemotherapy and appeared vigorous, albeit puffy around the face and neck. "I am in good physical shape to confront this new battle," Chávez said on Tuesday afternoon. He later choked up, reflecting on mortality in the phone call. "I ask for life," he said. I want to live with you and fight with you until the last moment of this life that God gave me. He called on his backers to "accelerate the (electoral) battle." Doctors consulted by the AP said it was difficult to assess Chávez's prognosis. But Dr. Javier Cebrian, a colorectal specialist and chief surgeon at University Hospital in Caracas, said news that the lesion was in the very place the initial tumor was removed was not good. Many Venezuelans have been impressed by Chávez's fortitude. "It's already established that Chávez is a superman because he was sick and he didn't delegate to anyone," said Luis Montilla, a 51-year-old lawyer. PHOTOS: Protesting Iran's Election Around the World PHOTOS: In Tehran, Terror in Plain Clothes