CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — On this first day of the post-Hugo-Chavez era in Venezuela, many supporters of the late president are venting anger at the United States, accusing it of conspiring with opposition forces in Venezuela to destabilize that country.
The coffin carrying the body of Chavez was taken today to a military academy, as tens of thousands of Venezuelans lined the streets of Caracas or walked with the casket. Mourners chanted, "The fight goes on."
One man said he's sure that the U.S. government "is not going to rest" in what he said are U.S. efforts to undermine Chavez's revolution.
Amid the public display of mourning, people are also stocking up on supplies, uncertain about the country's future in the aftermath of Chavez's death.
It's not yet clear when the election to choose a successor will take place. His anointed successor, Vice President Nicolas Maduro, is expected to soon face an opposition challenger in an election that Venezuela's constitution says must be held within 30 days.