Tens of thousands pay respects to Chavez

CARACAS Tens of thousands of Venezuelan waited all night and much of the day in a queue several kilometers long to pay their respects to President Hugo Chavez. The Venezuelan leader passed away on Tuesday. Tens of thousands pay respects to Chavez He lies in state in the building of the Military Academy, where the silent procession is interrupted every hour with the firing of cannon salvos. (Beta/AP) Chavez lays in a coffin covered with glass, clad in his green military uniform and red beret that made him famous among his countrymen. His coffin was brought there from the military hospital where he died. As the coffin was transported through Caracas hundreds of thousands of people, many dressed in red, the color of his Socialist Party, came out to show their respects. (Beta/AP) A long queue then formed last night in front of the Military Academy, with some waiting more than nine hours just to be able to stop briefly in front of their "commander" and salute him. The honor guard beside the coffin is made up of the president's associates, vice president Nicolas Maduro - whom Chavez appointed as his successor - and Parliament Speaker Diosdado Cabelo, as well as his mother, Elena Frias, and his four brothers. The state television is broadcasting live from inside the Academy. (Beta/AP) Chavez died of cancer aged 59, after 14 years in power. Hundreds of officials and members of the ruling Socialist Party said goodbye to Chavez last night, before the chapel was opened to the public. Last night, heads of state of Argentina, Cristina Kirchner, Uruguay, Jose Mujica and Bolivia, Evo Morales also paid their respects. (Beta/AP) The funeral will be held on Friday, although the exact place and time has not yet been revealed. Presidents of several Latin American countries, including Brazil, Peru, ​​Ecuador, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Chile will all attend the funeral, as will the leaders of Iran and Belarus. Several Latin American countries also declared national mourning, including Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Cuba, Chile and Brazil. (Beta/AP) The news of Chavez's death caused a shock among the people of Venezuela and opened a period of uncertainty in a country deeply divided between supporters and opponents of the man who has dominated the political life since coming to power in 1998. Beta

Tens of thousands pay respects to Chavez

He lies in state in the building of the Military Academy, where the silent procession is interrupted every hour with the firing of cannon salvos. Chavez lays in a coffin covered with glass, clad in his green military uniform and red beret that made him famous among his countrymen.

His coffin was brought there from the military hospital where he died.

As the coffin was transported through Caracas hundreds of thousands of people, many dressed in red, the color of his Socialist Party, came out to show their respects. A long queue then formed last night in front of the Military Academy, with some waiting more than nine hours just to be able to stop briefly in front of their "commander" and salute him.

The honor guard beside the coffin is made up of the president's associates, vice president Nicolas Maduro - whom Chavez appointed as his successor - and Parliament Speaker Diosdado Cabelo, as well as his mother, Elena Frias, and his four brothers.

The state television is broadcasting live from inside the Academy. Chavez died of cancer aged 59, after 14 years in power.

Hundreds of officials and members of the ruling Socialist Party said goodbye to Chavez last night, before the chapel was opened to the public.

Last night, heads of state of Argentina, Cristina Kirchner, Uruguay, Jose Mujica and Bolivia, Evo Morales also paid their respects. The funeral will be held on Friday, although the exact place and time has not yet been revealed.

Presidents of several Latin American countries, including Brazil, Peru, ​​Ecuador, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Chile will all attend the funeral, as will the leaders of Iran and Belarus.

Several Latin American countries also declared national mourning, including Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Cuba, Chile and Brazil. The news of Chavez's death caused a shock among the people of Venezuela and opened a period of uncertainty in a country deeply divided between supporters and opponents of the man who has dominated the political life since coming to power in 1998.