After 18 days of presidential incommunicado, political tensions are mounting with rumors and speculation flying fast about the health of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Chavez underwent surgery June 10 to remove a painful abscess in his abdomen—according to the official story—and is recuperating in a hospital in Havana. He has sent no images of himself, or message about his condition since a telephone call to state TV June 12 when he reported he was on the fast track to recovery, according to AP.

Unconfirmed reports, including an opinion article written Tuesday by a well-known Venezuelan journalist in a major newspaper, El Universal, say that Chavez tested positive for prostate cancer.

The president of the National Assembly, Fernando Soto Roja, outright denied the cancer rumor Monday, as the opposition demanded more information about the president’s health.

The secretary of the Bureau of Democratic Unity (MUD), Ramon Guillermo Aveledo said Tuesday that government secrecy is feeding the rumor mill.

“The government is responsible for the number of rumors that have been woven about the president’s health,” he said quoted by El Nuevo Herald.

“It was the lack of [government] transparency, the slowness, and opacity in reporting that have sparked all the rumors,” Aveledo added.

The president’s absence has also lead to speculation that there is a PR coup d'état planned with Chavez set to return vigorous and triumphant to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Venezuelan independence from Spain on July 5. The 56-year-old plans to run for re-election next year and such an arrival would boost his image. Some rumors also say he will be back this Friday.

On Sunday, hundreds of tribal supporters from the Wayúu tribe gathered to pray in a televised healing ceremony where red painted tribes people danced and drummed, the Guardian reported.

The president’s absence has already thrown the country into an uproar over the fact that it has no obvious new leader. Chavez has no clear successor in his party and some analysts say that if he really is too ill to govern, the country could be thrown into political turmoil, which could cause a breakdown of Chavez’s PUSV party.

“If primary elections were held to determine who within the PSUV would be the candidate for the presidency, about 10 candidates would run,” the leader of opposition party left wing PPT (Fatherland for all), José Albornoz said Tuesday, according to El Universal.

Rumors Fly In Venezuela Over Chavez’s Absence