Hugo Chavez insists he is healthy

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday announced that he was feeling healthy and has not had any side effects from recent chemotherapy treatments, AFP reports.

"My body feels healthy, and I thank God and all of you as well as medical science, and what's even more important is that my soul feels revived, like it's been healed," Chavez said at a ceremony aired by state broadcaster VTV, according to AFP. "I am in treatment, [with] drugs, but all vital signs are good, things are progressing well. Fortunately, the chemotherapy did not affect any organs and had no side effects."

Chavez returned to Venezuela on Thursday after undergoing a fourth round of chemotherapy in Cuba. On June 20, the 57-year-old Chavez had a tumor removed from what authorities have described as his "pelvic area," but AFP reports that details about Chavez' condition have been scarce.

After returning to Caracas and giving a brief statement early Friday, he stayed uncharacteristically out of the media spotlight and sent no messages on his Twitter feed, which has more than two million followers.

Official handout photos from Cuban state media showed a hairless Chavez bidding farewell to Cuban leader Raul Castro after completing the latest round of treatment.

CNN reports that in his remarks Sunday, Chavez acknowledged that he had a throat infection, which may have caused some "alarm." He said that he had been "studying and reading" during his recovery, and he plans to propose a bill to combat drugs in the country.

"This has to do with our youth… the war against drugs and the fights against crime," he said.

Chavez did, however, allow that the treatments have affected his strength.

"Today, I have been back for 72 hours, recovering from the impacts. One has to take care, take care in the next few days," he said.

According to AFP, a scheduled meeting between Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was postponed indefinitely.