Presidenta Laura Chinchilla, with Sebastian Pinera (Chile), Raul Castro (Cuba), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua), and Rafael Correa (Ecuador), in a honour guard next to the coffin of President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, during his state funeral at a military academy in Caracas.
In Caracas, dressed in formal mourning and hurried by Venezuelan officials, amid the diplomatic crowd gathered for the funeral of Hugo Chavez, presidenta Laura Chinchilla avoided referring to the inauguration of Nicolas Maduro as president of Venezuela.
Although the Venezuelan constitution states that the president of the National Assembly, Diosado Cabello, is to take power on the death of a president, vice-president Maduro was sworn in as interim president, until the elections on April 14.
“I did not come comment on the internal aspects of the organization to replace Chavez. Ours is a presence of solidarity, love and appreciation to the Venezuelan people in this time of grief”, said Chinchilla while under escort by officers of the red beret.
Both Chinchilla and Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister, Enrique Castillo, advocated that Venezuela solves its current situation within the framework of its constitution.
“I do not understand this step (the decision to swear in Maduro as president), but would have to see what justifications the government of Venezuela has. What I hope is that all will be without internal conflicts”, said Castillo to reporters.
