The body of the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, is lying in state at the military academy in Caracas.

His family and close advisers, as well as the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay, paid their respects next to his open casket on Wednesday, March 6.

Chavez died aged 58 after suffering from cancer for nearly two years.

Hundreds of thousands of people earlier took to the streets of the capital to pay tribute as a hearse carrying his coffin took hours to reach the academy. The state funeral for Chavez is due to take place on Friday.

Supporters of the late Venezuelan leader gathered in Caracas on Wednesday to catch a glimpse of his coffin as it was driven 5 miles (8km) through the streets from the military hospital where he died on Tuesday to the military academy, where he will lie in state.

Mourners, many wearing red T-shirts and carrying pictures of Chavez, threw flowers at the coffin, which was draped in a Venezuelan flag.

The coffin was greeted with sustained applause as it arrived at the military academy. Chavez's family and the Latin American leaders later attended Mass at the academy's chapel, where he will lie in state in an open casket.

Afterwards, his mother and children gathered around the coffin to pay their respects. Then, military commanders and members of his cabinet took their turns to file past before the chapel was opened to the public.

According to the constitution, there must be a presidential election within 30 days and the government has said it intends to stick to that timetable.

Vice-President Nicolas Maduro, whom Chavez named as his preferred successor in December, is widely predicted to win the upcoming poll as the candidate of the governing United Socialist Party (PSUV).

Maduro is expected to face the opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, who stood for the presidency in October but was beaten by Chavez. The opposition has yet to confirm Capriles as its official candidate.