Venezuela

• Thursday, March 7th 2013 - 22:03 UTC

  Chavez last words, “please don’t let me die”, according to the presidential guard chief

  

  President Hugo Chávez died of a massive heart attack after great suffering and inaudibly mouthed his desire to live, the head of Venezuela's presidential guard revealed on Thursday.

• Thursday, March 7th 2013 - 07:17 UTC

  Hundreds of thousands turn out to honour President Hugo 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.

• Thursday, March 7th 2013 - 07:12 UTC

  Capriles, opposition candidate for coming elections; Maduro admits having him monitored

  

  Venezuela's opposition parties have unanimously agreed that governor of Miranda state, Henrique Capriles will run in an upcoming presidential election following the death of Hugo Chavez, party sources said on Wednesday.

• Thursday, March 7th 2013 - 06:56 UTC

  Cuban leadership trusts Venezuelan oil and financial aid will continue to pour in

  

  A mix of sorrow, self-interest and dread took hold of Cuba as word spread like wildfire that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who had done so much for the country, was dead. While the official newscast devoted its entire program to events unfolding in Caracas, the government reaction was slow in coming.

• Wednesday, March 6th 2013 - 11:04 UTC

  Obama calls for a ‘constructive’ future relationship with Venezuela

  

  President Barack Obama said within hours of the death of President Hugo Chavez Tuesday that the United States was interested in a “constructive” future relationship with Venezuela.

• Wednesday, March 6th 2013 - 10:59 UTC

  As president for 14 years, “Chavez left a lasting impression on Venezuela and more widely”

  

  The UK Foreign secretary has paid tribute to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who he said left a “lasting impression” on his country. Chavez, 58, died on Tuesday after being seriously ill with cancer, ending his 14-year rule.

• Wednesday, March 6th 2013 - 10:54 UTC

  Chavez funeral ceremony at the Military Academy, ‘cradle of the Bolivarian revolution’

  

  The Venezuelan government declared seven days of national mourning and suspended classes until next Friday as it organizes the funeral of President Hugo Chavez that is scheduled to take place at the Military Academy, where he will lie in state beginning Wednesday morning.

• Wednesday, March 6th 2013 - 10:50 UTC

  Nicolas Maduro named interim president; elections within 30 days

  

  Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro will take over as interim president of the country while elections are organized within 30 days following the death of Hugo Chavez, Foreign Minister Elias Jaua announced on Tuesday.

• Wednesday, March 6th 2013 - 10:46 UTC

  Santos pays special tribute to Chavez for his efforts to help bring peace to Colombia

  

  Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos regretted the loss of Hugo Chavez and attributed the advances in the peace process of his government with the FARC Marxist guerrillas (Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces) to the deceased Venezuelan leader.

• Wednesday, March 6th 2013 - 10:43 UTC

  Latinamerican leaders praise Chavez and prepare to travel to Caracas for his funeral on Friday

  

  All Latinamerican leaders expressed their deep sorrow over the death of President Hugo Chavez, and several of them will be travelling to Caracas for his funeral scheduled next Friday.