Photo of Hugo Chavez, purportedly taken after his last operation, published online

A photo of a frail-looking Hugo Chavez walking with the assistance of another man has been published online.

Argentine website El Diario24.com reported the photo appeared on Twitter early Wednesday and purportedly shows the Venezuelan president taking a night-time stroll in the Cuban capital of Havana, where he has been recuperating following a fourth cancer operation last month.

Media reports claim the photo was taken after Chavez’s last operation on December 11 and is the first time the ailing leader has been seen in public since undergoing surgery, Peru 21 reported. 

Peru 21 noted, however, that there is no date on the photo and the Venezuelan government has made no comment about when the photo was taken. 

According to Peru 21, the photo is an attempt to show Chavez is on the mend following complications from his surgery, which would back up claims by Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Madura earlier this week that Chavez is “gaining strength.”  

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