Much of the fighting in the operation is at elevations above 11, 000 feet, where thin air makes breathing more difficult.

CNN: Al Qaeda, Taliban deaths mount in Operation Anaconda

Along with images of the puffy-faced Chavez came a government explanation for why no one has heard from the longtime president since his surgery: He's breathing through a tracheal tube that makes speech difficult.

NPR: Photos Of Hugo Chavez Shown After 2-Month Absence