Venezuelans bid farewell to Chavez

Thousands of Venezuelans lined the streets of Caracas on Friday to escort the body of late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez to the Military Museum, local media have reported.

Friday’s procession was the culmination of ten days of national mourning after the death of the Venezuelan president. The coffin was taken from the Military Academy in Caracas, where it was to lie in state until Friday,according to Voice of Russia, RIA.

 Venezuela’s authorities originally planned to embalm the Chavez’s body, but later reconsidered after consultations with Russian experts, who said the process should have started earlier.

President Hugo Chavez, who led Venezuela for 14 years, died on March 5 at the age of 58 after a two-year-long fight against cancer. The decision on the possible embalming of his body was announced two days after his death.

M.D