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| Leaders gather for state funeral of Hugo Chavez | Leaders gather for state funeral of Hugo Chavez |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Leaders from Latin America and beyond are gathering in the Venezuelan capital Caracas for the funeral of President Hugo Chavez. | |
| After the funeral, Mr Chavez's body will be taken to a military museum to lie in state for another seven days. | After the funeral, Mr Chavez's body will be taken to a military museum to lie in state for another seven days. |
| More than two million mourners have already filed past his body at a military academy. | More than two million mourners have already filed past his body at a military academy. |
| Mr Chavez's body is to be embalmed and placed on permanent display, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro says. | Mr Chavez's body is to be embalmed and placed on permanent display, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro says. |
| Later on Friday, Mr Maduro is due to be sworn in as acting president. As such, he must call elections within 30 days. | Later on Friday, Mr Maduro is due to be sworn in as acting president. As such, 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. | Hugo Chavez, who led Venezuela for 14 years, died on Tuesday aged 58 after a long battle with cancer. |
| More than 30 heads of state are expected to attend Friday's funeral including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Cuban President Raul Castro and Belarussian leader Alexander Lukashenko. | More than 30 heads of state are expected to attend Friday's funeral including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Cuban President Raul Castro and Belarussian leader Alexander Lukashenko. |
| President Ahmadinejad has praised Mr Chavez as a "martyr" and a "wise and revolutionary leader". | President Ahmadinejad has praised Mr Chavez as a "martyr" and a "wise and revolutionary leader". |
| US Congressman Gregory Meeks and former Congressman William Delahunt will represent the United States. Mr Chavez was a fierce critic of Washington. | US Congressman Gregory Meeks and former Congressman William Delahunt will represent the United States. Mr Chavez was a fierce critic of Washington. |
| Mr Maduro said that Mr Chavez's body would be embalmed "like Lenin and Mao Zedong", and put on display for at least another seven days. | Mr Maduro said that Mr Chavez's body would be embalmed "like Lenin and Mao Zedong", and put on display for at least another seven days. |
| 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. | 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 Maduro said the building will be converted into a new "museum of the revolution". | Mr Maduro said the building will be converted into a new "museum of the revolution". |
| 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. | 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, Venezuela's constitution says people can only be admitted to the Pantheon 25 years after their death. | However, Venezuela's constitution says people can 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. | 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. | He named Mr Maduro as his preferred successor following the recurrence of his cancer. |
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