Fiery funeral for Venezuela's Chavez

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By VIVIAN SEQUERA and JORGE RUEDA

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Hugo Chavez was lauded as a modern-day reincarnation of Latin American liberator Simon Bolivar at a fiery, foot-stomping state funeral Friday, hours before his handpicked successor was sworn in as acting president over the fierce objections of the opposition.

Nicolas Maduro took the oath of office in the National Assembly before ruling party legislators, dignitaries and a boisterous crowd of sympathizers that chanted "Chavez lives! Maduro carries on!" Holding up a tiny blue-bound booklet of Venezuela's 1999 constitution in his right hand, Maduro pledged his "most absolute loyalty" to Chavez.

He broke into tears as he spoke of his mentor during a strident acceptance speech that included numerous attacks on the United States, capitalist elites and the international media.

Maduro also claimed the allegiance of Venezuela's army, calling it "the armed forces of Chavez" as he pumped his fist in the air, a gesture that was reciprocated by the defense minister watching from the gallery. Critics have voiced increasing concern about the overt support the military has shown to the ruling party since Chavez's death despite a ban on the army's participation in politics.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130309/DA4T9CGO3.html

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In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Latin American and Caribbean leaders stand around the flag-draped coffin of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez during the funeral ceremony at the military academy in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, March 8, 2013. Chavez died on March 5 after a nearly two-year bout with cancer. He was 58. Front row, from left to right are Colombia's President Jose Manuel Santos, Guatemala's President Otto Perez Molina, Guyana's President Donald Ramotar, and Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer. On the other side of the casket are, from right, Guatemala's President Otto Perez Molina, Haiti's President Michel Martelly and Honduras' President Porfirio Lobo. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office)

[No Vested Interest]

1. The AP article is particularly biased

I saw (most of the ) C-Span rendition of the memorial service, including Jesse Jackson's public prayer, which I thought was most appropriate. He spoke in English, with each sentence or phrase translated into Spanish during his delivery.

The U.S. representatives (Jackson, Congressman Meeks, and a former Congressman from Massachusetts) were spoken of as appointed by President of the U.S. There is no U.S. ambassador to Venezuela at this time.

V.P. Maduro's eulogy (as translated from English to Spanish) was passionate, and included much national history as well as praise for Chavez and personal insights.