Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, reelected earlier in the month for the third presidential term, should start looking for a successor, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said.

Chavez, 58, won re-election in October 7 polls with 54.6 percent of the vote to beat opposition challenger Henrique Capriles. The outspoken Socialist president will lead the Latin American country for another six years.

“I believe that Chavez became the best variant for Venezuela, but I also think that Chavez should start looking for a successor,” said Lula da Silva, who ruled Brazil between 2002 and 2010.

The former president said Venezuela greatly benefitted under the rule of cancer-stricken Chavez and the course of his domestic and foreign policies should be maintained after his leaves his post, although the Constitution allows his to run for the fourth term.

Chavez, who has ruled Venezuela for 13 years, underwent three operations for cancer in the pelvic region and four courses of chemotherapy in Cuba and Venezuela within a year.