Venezuelans Grieve for Chavez, Prepare for Election

Religion Today | Updated: Mar 06, 2013

Venezuelans Grieve for Chavez, Prepare for Election

Tens of thousands supporters of Hugo Chavez paraded his coffin through the streets of Caracas on Wednesday in a flood of emotion that allies hope will help his vice president win an election due in the coming weeks and keep his self-styled revolution alive, Reuters reports. Ending one of Latin America's most remarkable populist rules, Chavez died Tuesday at the age of 58 after a two-year battle with cancer. The future of Chavez' leftist policies, which won him the admiration of poor Venezuelans but infuriated opponents who denounced him as a dictator, now rests on the shoulders of Vice President Nicolas Maduro, the man he tapped to succeed him. Maduro will likely face Henrique Capriles, governor of Miranda state, in the next election in the OPEC nation with the world's largest oil reserves. The stakes are huge for the region, given the crucial economic aid and cheap fuel the Chavez government supplied to allies across Latin America and the Caribbean. Authorities said the vote would be called within 30 days, but did not specify the date. 



Venezuelans Grieve for Chavez, Prepare for Election