Venezuela has published photographs of Hugo Chávez sitting with Fidel Castro and walking in a hospital as the Venezuelan president recovers from cancer surgery in Cuba, The Guardian reports.

Venezuela's government insists Chávez, 57, is recovering quickly and will be ready to contest a presidential election on October 7.

In two new photographs published via Twitter on Friday by Venezuela's information minister, Andres Izarra, Chávez was seen in discussion with his close friend and political mentor. "They talked for almost two hours," Izarra tweeted.

Izarra said the photos were taken on Friday, March 2 afternoon.

Surgeons in Cuba removed a possibly malignant lesion from Chávez's pelvis five days ago. He has sounded upbeat in two phone calls to Venezuelan state TV since then, and allies have scofffed at rumours – mostly in the opposition media – that his condition may be much worse than has been revealed.

Opposition-leaning Venezuelan journalists have quoted medical sources as saying Chávez's cancer has metastasized, or spread. His allies deny that and say those reports are aimed at destabilising South America's biggest oil exporter.

Earlier on Friday the President made a 20-minute call to state TV in which he chatted with steel workers, outlined more government programs and said he had restarted eating solid food. "Thank you for so much support. Here I'm beginning to take off again. I will be with you in all the months and years that I once again have left to me," he said.