Partisan speeches lay Chavez to rest


CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez was lauded as a reincarnation of Latin American liberator Simon Bolivar and disciple of Cuba’s Fidel Castro at a fiery, foot-stomping state funeral yesterday as presidents, princes and left-wing glitterati looked on.



“Chavez lives!” he declared. “Mission accomplished!”




The streets outside the military academy took on a carnival atmosphere, with military bands launching into marches amid supporters wearing the red of Chavez’s socialist party. Street vendors sold paper replicas of the presidential sash, which many people in the line slipped over their shoulders.

Throngs watched the ceremony on huge monitors under the blazing sun, while a line to see Chavez’s body stretching 11/2 miles was halted as the funeral got under way.

In the funeral hall, more than 30 political leaders including Cuba’s Raul Castro, Spanish Crown Prince Felipe de Borbon and Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stood at attention before Chavez’s closed, flag-draped coffin.

Maduro said no Venezuelan leader, even Bolivar, who died in exile, overcame such treachery and opposition as Chavez, who died of cancer on Tuesday. He was 58.

“Here you are, unconquered, pure, transparent, unique, true and always alive,” Maduro shouted as many in attendance cried. “Comandante, they couldn’t defeat you, and they will never, ever defeat us.”

Despite the blustery language of his speech and the expulsion on Tuesday of two U.S. military attaches on suspicion of spying, Maduro made a point of welcoming the U.S. delegation led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and former Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass. Chavez often railed against America even as he sold the country billions of dollars in oil each year.

