Delegations from 54 countries, including 33 headed by heads of state and government, paid their homage to Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez at his funeral Friday in Caracas.

Cuban leader Raul Castro and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are among those who attended the funeral of 58-year- old Chavez, who was re-elected on Oct. 7, 2012 for his fourth term but had not able to assume office due to cancer until his death on Tuesday.

"Chavez came far beyond our borders, Chavez's voice spread around the world," said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua, during a brief ceremony through the protocol reception in the Hall of Honor of the Military Academy.

Acting President Nicolas Maduro, meanwhile, thanked the leaders and various delegations who came to Venezuela to give their support in these "tragic hours" to attend Chavez's funeral.

"We are in front of him as we had never wanted to be, with the most immense pain that could fit in our humanity," he said.

Maduro stressed that the late president is not dead but is " undefeated, pure, transparent, active, for this and all times." " Commander we could not go with you," he said with tears in his eyes.

"The battle continues, Chavez lives, the struggle continues! Long live Hugo Chavez. Long live our people," Maduro shouted amid excited applause from those attending the ceremony.

He said that Chavez has left the population and the State " five historical tasks" under the government plan. "The people approved his will," he said in a clear reference to Chavez's victory in the presidential elections in October.

"We have to become a great power," he said while promising to promote socialism in the country and build a balanced world, as Chavez ordered before his death. "We want a world of peace and equal right to live in," he concluded.

Heads of state and government and representatives of delegations then took turns to stand aside of the coffin of Chavez as guards of honor. Among them is the head of the China's National Development and Reform Commission, Zhang Ping, as the special envoy of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Throughout the ceremony, thousands of Venezuelans gathered outside to bid farewell to Chavez.

"Chavez lives, the struggle continues", "We want to see Chavez, " chanted the crowd, who were gathering a few meters from the entrance in an immense river of red shirts, caps and berets, the emblematic color of Chavism.

The president of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, broke protocol before entering the hall to greet the crowds, who returned the gesture with screaming. "We are all Chavez. He will never die because he still lives in our heart. We will continue to fight for the socialism until the final victory," shouted Liliana Sandra, a 24-year-old student.