Absent Chávez wins show of solidarity Latin American leaders and a multitude of chavistas assembled in Caracas on Thursday to mark the beginning of Hugo Chávez's third presidential term, but the cancer-stricken leader himself was conspicuously absent. Leaders and representatives from 22 Latin American and Caribbean states, many of which receive aid and subsidised oil from the Opec nation, descended on the Venezuelan capital in a show of solidarity for Mr Chávez, while supporters flocked from all corners of the country. Mr Chávez has not been seen or heard from since he departed for cancer surgery in Cuba a month ago. Venezuela's Supreme Court declined to define Venezuela's usually omnipresent leader as "absent" from power on Wednesday when it endorsed the delay of his inauguration, due on Thursday. On Thursday morning, Bolivarian militias paraded beneath the "people's balcony" of Miraflores presidential palace, where Venezuela's effervescent leader has often addressed loyal supporters for hours on end, lambasting the US "empire" and lionising Venezuela's independence hero, Simón Bolívar. In his absence, the militias chanted slogans like "We are all Chávez!" and sang classic revolutionary anthems such as "Tremble, Oligarchs." "I'm with my president in the good times and in the bad times," said Liliana Vera, a steadfast chavista who had travelled from the remote cattle-ranching state of Apure. "Today he needs the support of all of us and here we are, in the street, to support his rule," she added, asking God to give him strength to return. President Evo Morales Bolivia, Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua and José Mujica of Uruguay were all expected to take part in a government-organised rally on Thursday, while other regional allies including Argentina, Cuba and Ecuador sent senior ministers to show support for Mr Chávez, whose condition officials said on Monday was "stationary" after he suffered a "severe" respiratory infection. While the visiting dignitaries were welcomed by Nicolás Maduro, the vice-president and Mr Chávez's designated successor, opposition politicians urged them not to meddle in Venezuela's internal politics and support what they say is a violation of the constitution. "The government wants payback for 14 years of presents by inviting other countries to a swearing-in ceremony from which the person being sworn in is absent," said leading opposition lawmaker Julio Borges, who railed at the fact that Mr Chávez has given away houses, hospitals, roads and electricity systems to friendly countries while failing to build them in Venezuela. Although Mr Maduro is now set to remain in charge indefinitely following the Supreme Court ruling, which did not specify when, where or how Mr Chávez should be sworn in, Mr Borges argues that this is illegal since he has not been elected and his position as vice-president was valid only for the presidential term that has now concluded. The opposition insists that the president of Congress, Diosdado Cabello, who is also Mr Maduro's principal rival, should take over as interim president now that a new presidential term has started. While the event was a symbolic show of unity among chavistas and support for Mr Chávez remaining as president, it also provided an opportunity for Mr Maduro to strengthen his standing as the president's heir-in-waiting should he eventually face elections.