BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have been paying their last respects to the country’s late president Hugo Chavez.

Thousands took to the streets of the capital Caracas to escort the body of Chavez to its final resting place. The coffin is being taken to a military museum, in the area where he led an unsuccessful military coup in 1992. On Wednesday, acting President Nicolas Maduro said it was unlikely the body would be embalmed for permanent viewing, as originally suggested by the government.

Chavez died of cancer last week. Earlier, political and military authorities joined Chavez’s relatives for a ceremony at the military academy where his remains lay in state for 10 days.

(Source: CNTV.cn)