DUSHANBE, March 6, 2013, Asia-Plus — Venezuela”s President Hugo Chavez has died aged 58, after 14 years in power.
Mr. Chavez had been seriously ill with cancer for more than a year, undergoing several operations in Cuba, and had not been seen in public for several months.
International media sources report Foreign Minister Elias Jose Jaua Milano declared seven days of mourning and said Mr. Chavez”s body would lie in state until his funeral on Friday.
Vice-President Nicolas Maduro would assume the presidency until an election was called within 30 days, the BBC reports.
“It is the mandate that Comandante President Hugo Chavez gave us,” Mr. Jaua told state television, adding that Mr. Maduro would also be the candidate of the governing United Socialist Party (PSUV).
According to the BBC, Mr. Chavez”s illness prevented him from taking the oath of office after he was re-elected for a third term in October and the President of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, had been expected by some to take over as interim president in the event of his death.
However, he was not among the political and military leaders who flanked the vice-president when he announced Mr. Chavez”s death.
In Tuesday”s televised address, Mr. Maduro said the president had passed away “after battling a tough illness for nearly two years.” “We have received the toughest and tragic information that… Comandante President Hugo Chavez died today at 16:25 (20:55 GMT),” he added.
Mr. Maduro called on the nation to close ranks after its leader”s demise.
Reuters reports that military chiefs quickly pledged loyalty to Maduro, who will be caretaker leader until elections are called within 30 days.
International media sources noted that Chavez”s death opens the way for a new election that will test whether his socialist “revolution” can live on without his dominant personality at the helm.
Reuters, in particular, reports that the new vote will likely pit Maduro against Henrique Capriles, the centrist opposition leader and state governor who lost to Chavez in October.
