A procession took place on Wednesday to accompany President Hugo Chavez's coffin from “Dr. Carlos Arvelo” hospital to the Military Academy where the state funeral will take place on Friday. Thousands of people in red – the color of Chavez’s regime – come out onto the streets of Venezuela's capital Caracas to say good bye Chavez, who initiated the Bolivar revolution.

Thousands of people joined in the procession to pay tribute to Chavez (Photo: BBC)

A brief ceremony attended by Chavez’s family members and Venezuela’s top leaders was held to pay tribute to the late President at the hospital where he spent the last minutes of his life. Officials then placed the flag-draped coffin on a waiting hearse surrounded by the crowd. The procession began its slow 8km journey through the streets of Caracas, taking more than six hours to reach the Military Academy. The academy will be open for the public to pay respects to Chavez until Friday.

World leaders have offered condolences for Chavez’s death, promising to continue bilateral ties with Venezuela. In a message to Vice President Diosdado Cabello, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Chavez devoted his life to national development and people’s liberation, adding that Venezuela has lost a brave son, and the world has lost a wise, revolutionary leader. The Iranian government declared Wednesday a national day of mourning for Chavez. Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), extended condolences to his Venezuelan counterpart Diosdado Cabello, saying the NPC is ready to continue exchanges with Venezuela’s legislature. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said President Hu Jintao and Secretary General Xi Jinping sympathize with Venezuela. French President Francois Hollande, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, European Union President Herman Van Rompuy, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also delivered their condolences to Venezuela.