MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Hundreds of thousands turn out to honour President Hugo Chavez

Mourners parade by the coffin of Chavez

Hundreds of thousands of Hugo Chavez's supporters paraded his coffin draped in Venezuela’s blue, red and yellow national flag through the streets of Caracas on Wednesday in an emotional outpouring.

Avenues resounded with chants honouring the former paratrooper as supporters showered flowers on his coffin and jostled to touch it. Loudspeakers played recordings of the charismatic populist giving speeches and singing.

Some supporters held heart-shaped placards that read: “I love Chavez!” Others cheered from rooftops, waving T-shirts.

Ending one of Latin America's most remarkable recent populist rules, Chavez died on Tuesday at age 58 after a two-year battle with cancer that was first detected in his pelvis.

His body was taken to the Venezuelan military academy to lie in state at the tip of a grand esplanade until his state funeral on Friday. Late into the night, a sombre procession of thousands filed past the glass-topped coffin.

Soldiers saluted from behind a red rope and members of the public sobbed. Some were pushed through in wheelchairs. With a touch of the elbow and a quiet word, security men kept the line moving as top members of the government looked on.

The future of Chavez's policies, which won him the admiration of poor Venezuelans but infuriated opponents who denounced him as a dictator, now rests on the shoulders of acting President Nicolas Maduro, the man he tapped to succeed him.

The tall, mustachioed Maduro has long been a close ally of Chavez. He pledges to continue his legacy and it is unlikely he would make major policy changes.

He will now focus on rallying support from Chavez's diverse coalition, which ranges from leftist ideologues to business leaders who have contracts with the state, and armed groups known as “colectivos.”

Venezuela's military commanders pledged loyalty to Maduro, who will be caretaker leader until the election, and soldiers fired 21-gun salutes to Chavez in barracks across the nation.

It was not immediately clear where Chavez would be buried.

He had ordered a striking mausoleum built in downtown Caracas for the remains of 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar, his inspiration, and it is due to be finished soon. Some allies said he should be buried there.

Despite the tumult around the coffin procession, much of Caracas was quiet on Wednesday. There were long lines outside gasoline stations.

A stony-faced Bolivian President Evo Morales joined Maduro at the front of the procession. The presidents of Argentina and Uruguay joined them for a vigil by the coffin. Other regional leaders are expected to attend his funeral.

Condolences flooded in from around the world - ranging from the Vatican and the United Nations to allies like Iran and Cuba.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad mourned Chavez's death as a great loss, extolling his opposition to the “war on Syria.”