Chavez's breathing problem 'persists'

Venezuela's cancer-stricken President Hugo Chavez is still suffering from respiratory problems, and the evolution of that condition "has not been favorable," the information minister said Thursday.
The somewhat pessimistic medical report from the minister, Ernesto Villegas, comes after Chavez's surprise return home on Monday, following a fourth cancer surgery and more than two months of convalescence in Cuba.
He has not been seen or heard from since his arrival in Caracas, leaving supporters rattled and allowing doubts about his condition to deepen.