BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC- Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, who for more than 14 years, used his influence, oil and cash to fashion closer relationship among countries in the Caribbean died Wednesday, less than a month after he returned to Caracas from Cuba where he had been receiving treatment for cancer.
His death was announced by Vice President Nicholas Maduro in a brief television broadcast.
A tearful Maduro said Chavez had died at 16:25 (local time) "after battling a tough illness for nearly two years".