Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro was officially sworn in on Friday as the country's acting president, following the death of President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday.

At a special session of the National Assembly, Maduro took the oath of office at the legislative palace and became the country's acting president.

Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) ruled Friday that Vice President Nicolas Maduro could participate in the coming presidential elections.

The Constitutional Chamber of TSJ also ruled that Maduro will be officially sworn in at the National Assembly as Acting President of Venezuela on Friday night, following the death on Tuesday of the late president Hugo Chavez. Full story

Venezuel's Supreme Court Friday ratified that Nicolas Maduro can swear in as acting president and also be presidential candidate in the elections which have to be held within 30 days after the absolute absence of the President, as stipulated in the Constitution.

Since last October, Maduro held the Vice President post, and after the death of President Chavez last Tuesday, he can assume the President post, due to the Supreme Court's verdict, based in the interpretation of article 233 of the Venezuelan Constitution. Full story

Venezuelan vice-president Nicolas Maduro signed Tuesday a decree ordering a seven-day national mourning for late President Hugo Chavez in his capacity as the country's acting president.

The decree, dated March 5, 2013, was published with Maduro's signature as acting president by the Official Gazette. It orders national mourning for the regretful and painful death and irreparable loss of the hero of the fatherland Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias.

Source: ANTARA