Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died at the age of 58 after losing his long battle with cancer.
The country’s vice president Nicolas Maduro fought back tears as he announced the death in a national television broadcast.
He said Mr Chavez, who had been in power for 14 years, died at 4.25pm local time “after battling a tough illness for nearly two years”.
Amid fears of unrest, Mr Maduro also said the army and police had been deployed “to accompany and protect our people and guarantee the peace”.
Hundreds of Venezuelans poured into the streets of capital Caracas, with many crying, hugging each other, or shouting slogans of support.
Clusters of women with tears streaming down their faces clung to each other and wept near the Miraflores presidential palace. Some wore T-shirts with slogans that read “Go forward commander!”
Nearby, grime-faced men pumped their arms in the air while shouting “Long live Chavez! Long live Chavismo!”
The country’s foreign minister Elias Jaua declared seven days of national mourning and said a wake for Mr Chavez will be held until Friday, when his official funeral will take place.
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