Venezuela’s presidential election set for April 14

PanARMENIAN.Net - Venezuela's electoral council has set a presidential election for April 14 to choose the successor to Hugo Chavez, Belfast Telegraph said.

Acting president Nicolas Maduro will run as the ruling party candidate. Henrique Capriles is expected to run again for the opposition.

Capriles lost to Chavez in an October election. Chavez later anointed Maduro as his chosen successor before undergoing surgery in December for the cancer that led to his death.

Earlier, Mr Maduro was sworn in as Venezuela's acting president, despite the objections of the opposition who said the move violated the country's constitution.

Stray fireworks exploded above the capital of Caracas as soon as Maduro was sworn in as president.

Both Maduro and National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello pledged to follow Chavez's example and push his socialist-inspired agenda. After Cabello swore in Maduro, the National Assembly president said: "Venezuela will follow the route to socialism."

The funeral ceremony drew world leaders, athletes and left-wing celebrities, while multitudes of Chavez supporters watched on giant screens outside.