Doctors successfully extracted a tumour from Venezuelan presidentHugo Chávez's pelvic region and he is stable and recovering, his vice-president announced.

"President Chávez is in good physical condition," Elias Jaua told the main chamber of the National Assembly, prompting a standing ovation and cries of: "Onward, comandante!"

"A total extraction of the diagnosed pelvic lesion was performed, removing also the tissue surrounding the lesion," Jaua said, reading a statement from the office of the presidency. "There were no complications."

Jaua added that the growth was likely to have been cancerous, but there was no immediate word on whether it was malignant. "In the coming hours, the tissue studies that will determine the optimal treatment of the lesion will be available," Jaua added. "President Chávez thanks the Venezuelan people from the bottom of his heart for the warm companionship he has received."

Chávez, 57, announced last week that doctors in Cuba had found a new growth about one inch (2cm) in diameter in the same area where a baseball-size cancerous tumour was removed last summer.

He travelled to Cuba on Friday, saying he would undergo tests over the weekend and have the operation early this week.

But until Tuesday there was no additional official word on Chávez's health, leaving the rumour-mill free to go unchallenged. Some reports speculated about a purportedly dire prognosis, but none could be confirmed or named their sources.

Venezuelan journalist Nelson Bocaranda, who is considered sympathetic to the anti-Chávez opposition and first broke the news last week that Chávez had again seen doctors in Cuba, said the president had been operated on on Monday night. However, there were no signs of stepped-up security Tuesday outside a Havana military hospital, where many have speculated the surgery might take place.

The Venezuelan embassy in Cuba has so far not responded to requests for comment.