国际英语新闻:World leaders pay tribute to Chavez at his funeral

CARACAS, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Delegations from 54 countries, including 33 headed by heads of state and government, paid their homage to Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez at his funeral Friday in Caracas.

Cuban leader Raul Castro and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are among those who attended the funeral of 58-year- old Chavez, who was re-elected on Oct. 7, 2012 for his fourth term but had not able to assume office due to cancer until his death on Tuesday.

"Chavez came far beyond our borders, Chavez's voice spread around the world," said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua, during a brief ceremony through the protocol reception in the Hall of Honor of the Military Academy.

Acting President Nicolas Maduro, meanwhile, thanked the leaders and various delegations who came to Venezuela to give their support in these "tragic hours" to attend Chavez's funeral.

"We are in front of him as we had never wanted to be, with the most immense pain that could fit in our humanity," he said.

Maduro stressed that the late president is not dead but is " undefeated, pure, transparent, active, for this and all times." " Commander we could not go with you," he said with tears in his eyes.

"The battle continues, Chavez lives, the struggle continues! Long live Hugo Chavez. Long live our people," Maduro shouted amid excited applause from those attending the ceremony.

He said that Chavez has left the population and the State " five historical tasks" under the government plan. "The people approved his will," he said in a clear reference to Chavez's victory in the presidential elections in October.