Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has died, his vice-president has announced.
Mr Chavez had not appeared in public since he returned to Venezuela last month after cancer treatment in Cuba.
An emotional Nicolas Maduro made the announcement on Tuesday evening, flanked by leading Venezuelan political and military leaders.
Earlier, he said the 58-year-old Venezuelan leader had a new, severe respiratory infection and had entered "his most difficult hours".
One of the most visible, vocal and controversial leaders in Latin America, the former army paratrooper won the presidency in 1998 and had most recently won another six-year presidential term in October 2012.
Since returning from Cuba on treatment, Chavez was not seen. This left many people wondering if he really got well at all. From photos with his two daughters, he was not looking well enough to even sit up right. May his soul rest in peace.
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Posted - 05 Mar 2013 : 23:18:51
