World leaders, athletes and left-wing celebrities gathered at a music-filled state funeral honouring Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez today, with multitudes waiting outside the venue.

Venezuela’s opposition says it will not attend the swearing-in of Hugo Chavez’s anointed successor as interim president.

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez called Barack Obama “ignorant”, saying he had a lot to learn about Latin America.

Fidel Castro does not have cancer or a terminal illness and will eventually return to public life, Cuban officials told visiting US politicians.