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| Crowds gather for state funeral of Hugo Chavez | Crowds gather for state funeral of Hugo Chavez |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Leaders from Latin America, and old allies from outside the region, are gathering in Caracas for the funeral of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. | Leaders from Latin America, and old allies from outside the region, are gathering in Caracas for the funeral of Venezuelan 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. |
| With the government urging Venezuelans to celebrate his life, more than two million people have already filed past his body at a military academy. | With the government urging Venezuelans to celebrate his life, more than two million people have already filed past his body at a military academy. |
| His remains will be embalmed and placed on permanent display. | His remains will be embalmed and placed on permanent display. |
| Later on Friday, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro is due to be sworn in as acting president. As such, he must call elections within 30 days. | Later on Friday, Vice-President Nicolas 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. |
| Mr Maduro could be seen on Friday comforting distraught mourners, who have been gathering since the early hours. | Mr Maduro could be seen on Friday comforting distraught mourners, who have been gathering since the early hours. |
| Chavez 'the martyr' | Chavez 'the martyr' |
| More than 30 heads of state are expected to attend the funeral including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Cuban President Raul Castro and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. | More than 30 heads of state are expected to attend the funeral including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Cuban President Raul Castro and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. |
| Mr Ahmadinejad praised Mr Chavez as a "martyr" and a "wise and revolutionary leader". | Mr Ahmadinejad 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. | Congressman Gregory Meeks and former Congressman William Delahunt will represent the US at the funeral of Mr Chavez, a fierce critic of Washington. |
| Among the regional leaders arriving on Friday was President Sebastian Pinera of Chile, who told reporters at the airport in Caracas that the thoughts of Chile were with Venezuela at a difficult time. | |
| Mr Maduro said that Mr Chavez's body would be embalmed "like Lenin and Mao Zedong". | 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. | 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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| 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 Maduro said. |
| 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, under Venezuela's constitution, people may only be admitted to the Pantheon 25 years after their death. | 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. | 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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