Body of Venezuela's Hugo Chavez lies in state

The body of the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, is lying in state at the military academy in Caracas. 

His family and close advisers, as well as the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay, paid their respects next to his open casket on Wednesday.
Mr Chavez died at 58 after suffering from cancer for nearly two years.
Hundreds of thousands of people earlier took to the streets of the capital to pay tribute as a hearse carrying his coffin took hours to reach the academy.

Hugo Chavez's body is lying in state at the Fuerte Tiuna Military Academy in Caracas, where Mr Chavez studied as a young cadet. 

The casket, covered in a Venezuelan flag, was placed in a hall dedicated to the Liberators of South America. 

Thousands of people lined up quietly to say one last goodbye to Mr Chavez, among them government officials and Latin American leaders such as Bolivian President Evo Morales and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

The casket was taken by hearse through the streets of Caracas from the military hospital where Mr Chavez died on Tuesday.
 
Upon reaching the military academy, a mass was held with the participation of Mr Chavez's mother and daughters, who were received with a long applause.
 
Supporters of the late Venezuelan leader gathered in Caracas on Wednesday to catch a glimpse of his coffin as it was driven 5 miles (8km) through the streets from the military hospital where he died on Tuesday to the military academy, where he will lie in state.

Mourners, many wearing red T-shirts and carrying pictures of Mr Chavez, threw flowers at the coffin, which was draped in a Venezuelan flag.

The state funeral for Mr Chavez is due to take place on Friday

BBC