Colombian president to undergo cancer surgery

BOGOTA - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced Monday that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and would undergo surgery on Wednesday.

In a televised speech to the nation, Santos, 61, said his doctor and a team of three US experts had recommended the surgery and he would remain in hospital for several days.

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos addresses the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York in this Sept 26, 2012 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

The president said he had the 97 percent of possibilities to totally overcome the disease.

Santos also said the surgery had to be done with local anesthetic so that he could continue his work in every moment.

"Local anesthetic will be used during surgery which allows me to keep my consciousness before, during and after the procedure. I will stay in hospital for a couple of days with some physical limitations, but all times (I will continue to exercise my duties as president," Santos said in his speech.

"I have removed any reservations about my medical history. It is available to everyone and the country will be permanently informed about the surgery and my recovery process," he added.

Meanwhile, according to local Caracol television station, the president's doctor Felipe Gomez said that chemotherapy treatment is dismissed and Santos would return to office within three weeks.