Venezuela President Hugo Chavez asked his country to consider his successor as he announced a recurrence of his cancer and the need to fly to Cuba to undergo further surgery

Venezuela President Hugo Chavez asked his country to consider his successor as he announced a recurrence of his cancer and the need to fly to Cuba to undergo further surgery.

The 58-year-old socialist leader said that recent medical tests had found malignant cells growing around the same place where he had a tumor removed in June 2011 and would head to Havana for more surgery on Sunday.

He named his Vice President Nicolas Maduro as the candidate of his party, calling on Venezuelans to vote for him if "something were to occur" and if elections were to be called again.

"Thankfully this revolution doesn't just depend on one person," Chavez said while speaking on state television Saturday night from the Miraflores presidential palace, surrounded by cabinet members.

Venezuela's constitution requires elections to be called if the president is unable to continue in office within the first four years of a six-year term. Mr. Chavez won a hotly contested re-election bid in October and is scheduled to be sworn in for his next term Jan. 10.

On Saturday, Mr. Chavez said he underwent the recent treatment due to some inflammation and pain.

Information Minister Ernesto Villegas called for rallies in cities across the country Sunday in support of the president.