Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s Vice President said on Thursday that the latine American leader was making a steady progress after cancer surgery in Cuba.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s Vice President said on Thursday that the latine American leader was making a steady progress after cancer surgery in Cuba.

"He's well, he's conscious," said VP Nicolas Maduro, speaking to dozens of supporters at the swearing-in ceremony for the newly-elected governor of the central state of Guarico.

Maduro, Chavez's handpicked successor, said the Venezuelan president had expressed "great happiness and profound gratitude to the entire Venezuelan people nation" for their support during his most recent health crisis.

"In recent days we have had moments of worry, uncertainty and pain... because a leader like Hugo Chavez comes along just once every 200 years," the vice president said.

Chavez underwent cancer surgery on December 11, scarcely a day-and-a-half after revealing to his stunned countrymen that his cancer had returned and just two months after his triumphant re-election to a six-year term.