Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez takes the oath of office at his first inauguration ceremony in 1999.<br/> <br />But will the ailing Chavez, currently struggling to recover from cancer surgery in Cuba, make it for his next inauguration, scheduled for January 10?<br/> <br />That's the question many Venezuelans ask as the country faces a wave of uncertainty about the future.<br/> <br />The 58-year-old, said to be suffering from a severe respiratory infection, has not been seen in public or heard from for more than three weeks.<br/> <br />In an interview on Friday, vice-president and Chavez' designated successor, Nicolas Maduro said postponement of the swearing-in ceremony would be no problem.<br/> <br />Waving a copy of the constitution, Maduro said Article 231 established that Chavez could be sworn in by the Surpreme court at a later date.<br/> <br />But opposition politicians like Aflonso Marquinez, say the uncertainty has led to a wave of economic and political instability in the country.<br/> <br />Last year, the socialist president staged what appeared to be a remarkable comeback from cancer to win re-election to a new six-year term.<br/> <br />But he returned to Cuba for more treatment within weeks of his win.
