Former president Fernandez to attend Hugo Chavez’s funeral

Santo Domingo.- Former president Leonel Fernandez will fly to Venezuela Thursday to attend the funeral of Hugo Chavez, who died Tuesday after a long bout with cancer.

The former president is scheduled to depart in the afternoon accompanied by leftist leader and minister without portfolio Miguel Mejia, who like Fernandez, cultivated close ties with Chavez.

Fernandez, president of the ruling PLD party and of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (FUNGLODE), visited the Venezuela embassy Wednesday afternoon, where he signed the book of condolences for Chavez, and said the late leader had always behaved as a great friend of the Dominican Republic.