Hugo Chavez lies in open casket for farewell

The body of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been put in a half-open casket for farewell.

Chavez’s coffin was placed half-open in the hall of Military School of Venezuela in Caracas after it was accompanied by his supporters from hospital on Wednesday.

Chavez’s children surrounded the coffin as people chanted, “Chavez lives, the struggle goes on.”

The Venezuelan deceased leader’s body will lie in state until an official ceremony is held with foreign dignitaries on Friday.

Chavez’s body was transported from the military hospital to the Military School of Venezuela as hundreds of thousands of supporters took to the streets to express their grief.

Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro and Bolivian President Evo Morales were among the crowd.

Chavez was born in a poor family on July 28, 1954 in Sabaneta, Barinas state, Venezuela.

He graduated from the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences in 1975.

Chavez became involved in revolutionary movements within the armed forces in 1977.

In 1992, he led a failed attempt to overthrow the government of President Carlos Andres Perez and was jailed for two years. Despite the fact that the coup failed, the incident launched his political career.

Chavez toured the country, electrified Venezuelans with his speeches, and won his first presidential election in 1998. He also won presidential elections in 2000, 2006, and 2012.

In 2002, a group of opposition politicians and troops backed by the United States staged a coup against Chavez. He was arrested and sent to a military base on a Caribbean island.

However, just two days later, the efforts of loyal military officers and massive demonstrations by Venezuelans swept him back to power.

Chavez founded the Bolivarian Revolution to establish popular democracy and economic independence and equitably distribute wealth in Latin America.

He was one of the key players in the progressive movement that has swept across Latin America over the past few years.