Hugo Chavez

''The graveyards are full of indispensable men,'' said Georges Clemenceau, the prime minster of France during World War 1, and promptly died to prove his point. He was duly replaced, and France was just fine without him. The same goes for Hugo Chavez and Venezuela.

Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Cuba's Raul Castro have joined about 30 other heads of state for Hugo Chavez' funeral in an emotional farewell to the charismatic but divisive Venezuelan leader who changed the face of politics in South America.

Shattered supporters of Hugo Chavez paraded his coffin through the streets of Caracas in a flood of emotion that allies hope will help his deputy win an election and keep his self-styled revolution alive.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has suffered bleeding as a result of a six-hour operation in Cuba meant to treat a third bout of cancer, the government says.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is returning to Cuba for more surgery after a recurrence of cancer led him to name a successor for the first time in case the disease ends his 14-year dominance of the OPEC nation.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has telephoned state TV, ending a virtual silence of nine days that had triggered rumours that he had died while undergoing cancer treatment in Cuba.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has told his countrymen that he underwent a second surgery in Cuba for the removal of a cancerous growth.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his country and Syria both view the United States and Israel as enemies.

President Hugo Chavez says Venezuela has arrested eight Colombians as suspected spies, several of whom carried identification indicating they were members of neighbouring Colombia's military.