BREAKING NEWS: Is this a rumor?Is Hugo Chavez dead?

People are gathering in big numbers at Miraflores Palace in Caracas amid rumors Hugo Chavez had a heart attack or something like it. The goons have just shut down Avenida Urdaneta in front of the palace to stop inquiring questions from the adoring masses. Venezuelan government spokesman Andres Izarra says that Chavez cancelled his street rally appearance yesterday and his Alo Presidente weekly Sunday TV show "to spend more time with his family." And all's 'normal,' he says. Kim Il Sung's spokesman could not have said it better.

Nothing from Spanish language versions of BBC or CNN. Nothing at MSN News.
Google News: A story from EITB (Euskarra Basque News and Information Channel) Venezuela is worried about President Hugo Chavez's health
El Herald: Aseguran que salud de Chávez es normal (Chávez's health normal): "There's nothing abnormal going on" even when Chávez's usual TV and radio broadcasts were cancelled, and didn't show at a demonstration organized "in defense of the oil industry, and to protest USA's refusal to extradite Luis Posada Carriles".
Yahoo news: A story from El Universal Deputy Lara: President Chávez "is at his office".

Hm. At his office.

Paxety Pages links to Venezuela Takes Measures to Thwart President Assassination

Lara said there are intelligence information revealing that some sectors, heartbroken by the defeat of the 2002 coup attempt and the presidential referendum in 2004, are mulling over the idea of assassinate President Chavez.

????

Oh. Maybe Lara meant to say Chávez's at his doctor's office.

El Nacional, however, has him at Chávez pone fin a rumores al presidir sesión de Consejo de Ministros Chávez ends rumors by presiding Ministers' Council session. He hasn't come out yet to greet the crowd waiting expectantly outside the Palacio de Miraflores.

We'll know what to expect if suddenly he decides to fly to a French hospital.

Rumor or not, this qualifies as the week's weirdest news item.

Follow-up post: Where oh where is my little Hugo?