Chavez Calls for 'Cancer Summit'

Venezuelan president and cancer survivor Hugo Chavez on Sunday announced a summit in early 2012 of Latin American leaders who have beaten the disease including Brazil's current and former presidents.

The 57 year-old Chavez had surgery in June to remove a malignant tumor. After several rounds of chemotherapy, mostly in Cuba, he claimed last month that he was cancer-free.

Brazil's popular former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 66, was diagnosed with throat cancer in late October and began chemotherapy treatments.

Lula's successor, President Dilma Rousseff, 63, was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in 2009 before she was elected to Brazil's top office. Doctors say she is currently cancer-free.

Also invited is Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, 60, who was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in August 2010. After treatment mostly in Brazil, doctors in December declared him cancer-free.

Chavez underwent four chemotherapy sessions, three of them in Havana.

"This summit will be in early 2012, after Lula finishes his chemotherapy," Chavez told state media.

"We are going to hold a summit with Dilma, Lugo, Lula and this humble servant. There will be no cancer or force that can hold us back, because Latin America is experiencing a rebirth," Chavez said.

Separately, Chavez warned his leftist regional allies of the "policy of assassination of the empire" -- his code-name for the United States.

"Now they have their sights set on Syria ... and on Iran and Venezuela ... and on (Bolivian President) Evo Morales," Chavez told state television. He also warned leftist Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega to be careful.