Posted on Mon, Jun. 11, 2012

CARACAS – Battling an undisclosed form of cancer and hoping to win another six-year term in office, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez will be registering his candidacy with the National Election Council Monday.

The event is expected to draw tens of thousands of his supporters to downtown Caracas and underscore Chávez’s claim that he’s making a full recovery and will be fit enough to participate in the Oct. 7 race.

Chávez also plans to use the event to unveil his governing plan for the next six years.

On Sunday, Chávez chief rival in the race, former Miranda Governor Henrique Capriles, registered his candidacy in a massive show of force for the opposition.

Chávez, 57, has been in power for 13 years, and is leading most polls in this highly polarized country. Over the last few days he has said he will swamp Caracas in “a sea” of supporters Monday, and some expect the rally to be his largest since he acknowledged he had cancer almost a year ago.

The next president will remain in power until 2018.