8 March 2013
Last updated at 15:38 GMT
8 March 2013
Last updated at 16:39 GMT
The state funeral of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez is under
way in Caracas, attended by about 30 world leaders and huge crowds of
his supporters.
Later, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro is due to be sworn in as acting president. He must call elections within 30 days.
Hugo Chavez, who led Venezuela for 14 years, died on Tuesday aged 58 after a long battle with cancer.
More than two million people have filed past Mr Chavez's coffin, and his body is to be embalmed and put on permanent display.
Chavez 'the martyr' Also attending is Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has praised Mr Chavez as a "martyr" and a "wise and revolutionary leader".
Congressman Gregory Meeks and former Congressman William Delahunt will represent the US at the funeral of Mr Chavez, a fierce critic of Washington.
Mr Maduro said that Mr Chavez's body would be embalmed "like Lenin and Mao Zedong".
The body will be moved to the Caracas military museum where in 1992 Mr Chavez - as an army officer - was captured after leading a failed coup.
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Mr Chavez was re-elected for a fourth term as president last October after saying he had recovered from his illness.
He named Mr Maduro as his preferred successor following the recurrence of his cancer.
The Vice-President is to be sworn in as acting president after the funeral in a special session of the National Assembly.
But the main opposition coalition says it will boycott the ceremony, arguing that he has no constitutional right to the job.
Under Venezuela's constitution, elections must be called within 30 days.
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- Obituary: Hugo Chavez
Venezuela holds Hugo Chavez state funeral
Watch Venezuela hold its state funeral for Hugo Chavez
The state funeral of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is under way in the capital, Caracas.
About 30 world leaders are attending the ceremony in the
military academy and huge crowds of his supporters are gathered outside.
Later, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro is due to be sworn in as acting president. He must call elections within 30 days.
Hugo Chavez, who led Venezuela for 14 years, died on Tuesday aged 58 after a long battle with cancer.
More than two million people have filed past Mr Chavez's coffin, and his body is to be embalmed and put on permanent display.
Continue reading the main story
An indigenous man said this funeral should be a celebration of life, as it is according to indigenous traditions. People say they are happy the government gave them another week to see the late president.
They say his embalmed body should be placed in the Pantheon in Caracas next to Simon Bolivar, the 19th-Century South American independence leader.
His supporters say Chavez is the new Simon Bolivar, and he should be remembered forever for having changed the course of history in the country.
At the scene
Large crowds are outside the military academy in Caracas for a second day to catch Hugo Chavez's remains. The atmosphere is festive, with live music blasting through speakers.An indigenous man said this funeral should be a celebration of life, as it is according to indigenous traditions. People say they are happy the government gave them another week to see the late president.
They say his embalmed body should be placed in the Pantheon in Caracas next to Simon Bolivar, the 19th-Century South American independence leader.
His supporters say Chavez is the new Simon Bolivar, and he should be remembered forever for having changed the course of history in the country.
Leaders from Latin America and
beyond are attending the funeral, among them Raul Castro of Cuba, Evo
Morales of Bolivia and Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia.
Outside, crowds chanted "Chavez lives!" and "The struggle continues!"Chavez 'the martyr' Also attending is Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has praised Mr Chavez as a "martyr" and a "wise and revolutionary leader".
Congressman Gregory Meeks and former Congressman William Delahunt will represent the US at the funeral of Mr Chavez, a fierce critic of Washington.
Mr Maduro said that Mr Chavez's body would be embalmed "like Lenin and Mao Zedong".
The body will be moved to the Caracas military museum where in 1992 Mr Chavez - as an army officer - was captured after leading a failed coup.
Continue reading the main story
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The building will be converted into a new "museum of the revolution", Mr Maduro said.
Continue reading the main story
Chavez funeral: who is attending
- Most Latin American and Caribbean Presidents, including close Chavez allies Raul Castro of Cuba and Rafael Correa of Ecuador
- Fellow US foes Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran and Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus
- Senior envoys from Russia and China
- US represented by Congressman Gregory Meeks and former Congressman William Delahunt
- Spain represented by Crown Prince Felipe of Asturias
- President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil and Cristina Fernandez of Argentina have returned home after paying their respects
Mr Chavez's supporters want him
eventually interred in Venezuela's national Pantheon alongside Simon
Bolivar, the 19th-Century independence leader the late president claimed
as his political inspiration.
However, under Venezuela's constitution, people may only be admitted to the Pantheon 25 years after their death.Mr Chavez was re-elected for a fourth term as president last October after saying he had recovered from his illness.
He named Mr Maduro as his preferred successor following the recurrence of his cancer.
The Vice-President is to be sworn in as acting president after the funeral in a special session of the National Assembly.
But the main opposition coalition says it will boycott the ceremony, arguing that he has no constitutional right to the job.
Under Venezuela's constitution, elections must be called within 30 days.
Chavez funeral begins in Venezuela
- In pictures: Hugo Chavez funeral
- Cuba mourns loss of 'comrade'
- Venezuela set for new election
- What is 'national mourning' for?
- Obituary: Hugo Chavez
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