33 state leaders to attend Chavez funeral

The funeral of Hugo Chavez will be attended by leaders of 33 states, the Foreign Minister of Venezuela Elias Hawa announced on Thursday. Around 54 foreign delegations are expected to arrive.

According to Hawa, the President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who arrived two days earlier and has already paid her respects to the deceased, has left for home, leaving behind her representatives who shall take part in the funeral events.

Elias Hawa underscored that extensive representation of foreign heads of state at the funeral ceremonies is a sign of recognition of the political role of the Comandante on an international plane.