Cuba gives Chavez 21-gun salute

The blast of cannons echoed through Havana on Friday as Cuba honoured Hugo Chavez with a 21-gun salute on the day of his funeral in Venezuela. Six cannons roared from La Cabana, a colonial-era fortress on the city's waterfront.

Flags flew at half-mast on the last of three days of mourning declared for the death of Chavez on Tuesday. Soldiers from both countries laid a wreath at the foot of a large photo of Chavez, the ideological soul mate of the Castro brothers and Cuba's benefactor through hefty exports of oil on favourable payment terms. Raul Castro travelled to Caracas for Chavez's state funeral on Friday. Thousands of Cubans turned out on Thursday in rallies in memory of Chavez.