Venezuela President Hugo Chavez lost the battle against cancer and died Tuesday as many Venezuelans take to the streets to mourn the passing away.
With the announcement of President Hugo Chavez's death due to cancer, the Venezuelan nation began its seven days of official mourning with hundreds of anguished Venezuelans taking to the streets of downtown Caracas, crying and shouting slogans in support of the deceased President.
Vice President Nicolas Maduro, who made the announcement of the death with teary eyes also stated that the government has deployed armed forces and police "to accompany and protect our people and guarantee the peace."
Maduro was handpicked by Chavez and Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said that Maduro will take over as the temporary leader till the elections. "It is the mandate that comandante President Hugo Chavez gave us," the Australian quoted Jaua as saying.
Hundreds of mourners took to the streets and crowded the military hospital were Chavez was admitted and passed away, chanting "We are all Chavez!" and "Chavez lives!"
"He was a man who taught us to love our fatherland," said 40-year-old municipal worker Francis Izquierdo. "The comandante is physically gone but he remains in our hearts and we must continue building the fatherland."
There have been mixed reactions about the death from international governments. While many nations in Latin America and beyond have expressed their sympathies, others say that the death may bring about a more open political system in the nation.
President Barack Obama addressed the passing away diplomatically and said the United States would support the "Venezuelan people". He said the death of Chavez is a "challenging time."
"As Venezuela begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights," Obama said in a short statement.
