Late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez’s was laid to rest in a military museum in the capital Caracas. Thousands of supporters came out for a final farewell as the coffin was taken from military academy to the museum, ending a 10-day mourning period.
The procession was accompanied by religious and political ceremonies, and acting President Nicolas Maduro made a speech telling Chavez “to go in peace.”
Chavez passed away last week after leading the country for 14 years.
Venezuela will not embalm the body of president Hugo Chavez, Information Minister Ernesto Villegas wrote on Twitter on Friday.
It was determined that Chavez’s body was not sufficiently prepared for embalming, and the time elapsed since his death may have hindered the process.
Russian medics said that “in order to do the procedure, the body would have to be transported to Russia and remain there for seven to eight months,” Villegas explained.
The deceased president’s final resting place remains unclear, as the government wants to amend the constitution and bury Chavez in the National Pantheon with other important Venezuelan leaders.
Chavez had said he wanted to be buried in his hometown of Barinas, in western Venezuela.
Handout picture released by the Venezuelan presidency showing a general view after the arrival of the coffin with the remains of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to its temporary resting place at the former "4 de Febrero" barracks -- a barracks-turned-museum that the former paratrooper had used as his headquarters during a failed 1992 coup attempt -- in Caracas, on March 15, 2013.(AFP Photo / Presidencia)
Handout picture released by the Venezuelan presidency showing members of the presidential Honour Guard carrying the coffin with the remains of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as it arrives at a temporary resting place at the former "4 de Febrero" barracks -- a barracks-turned-museum that the former paratrooper had used as his headquarters during a failed 1992 coup attempt -- in Caracas, on March 15, 2013.(AFP Photo / Presidencia)
The hearse carrying the remains of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez heads to his resting place at the former "4 de Febrero" barracks -- a barracks-turned-museum that the former paratrooper had used as his headquarters during a failed 1992 coup attempt -- in Caracas, on March 15, 2013.(AFP Photo / Luis Camacho)
Pallbearers carry the coffin of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez to a hearse prior to a funeral parade in Caracas March 15, 2013.(Reuters / Miraflores Palace)
People react as the hearse carrying the body of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez drives past during his funeral parade in Caracas March 15, 2013.(Reuters / Tomas Bravo)