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29 December 2010
Last updated at 15:25 ET
A judge in the US state of Florida has delayed the funeral of the former Venezuelan President, Carlos Andres Perez, because of a family dispute.
His first wife, Blanca Perez, wants him buried in Venezuela.
But his long-term mistress, Cecilia Matos, and their two daughters, want to lay him to rest in Florida, where he had lived for more than a decade.
Carlos Andres Perez died of a heart attack in Miami on Saturday, at the age of 88.
He served as president of Venezuela between 1974 and 1979, and again between 1989 and 1993.
Ms Matos - who is frequently referred to as the wife of Mr Perez, although it is unclear if they were actually married - had planned to bury him in Miami.
But Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Gerald Hubbart granted Blanca Perez's request to prevent the Florida funeral home from taking any action to bury, or otherwise dispose of the body, until the dispute is settled.
Coup survivor One of his daughters from his marriage to Blanca - Carolina Perez - said that her mother had the right to decide the fate of her husband's remains.
"They're still married, and the law is very clear in Venezuela and in the United States: When the person dies, the one who has the right to reclaim the body is the spouse, and we exercised that right," she told AP.
Mr Perez's first term was marked by a transformation of Venezuela's economy because of a sudden increase in oil revenues. His second was marred by allegations of corruption.
Forced to leave office in 1993, he was then sentenced to 28 months in prison for the misappropriation of millions of dollars in public funds.
He spent the first few months in a jail in Caracas, but was then allowed to serve the rest of his term under house arrest. Mr Perez had always denied any wrongdoing.
He survived two coup attempts in 1992, the first of which was led by current President Hugo Chavez, who was then a young army lieutenant colonel.
In recent years, Mr Perez lived in Miami, fighting demands by the current government in Caracas to extradite him to stand trial for his role in putting down riots in 1989.
He was accused of sending troops into the streets to fire indiscriminately on protesters during the so-called Caracazo riots.
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His first wife, Blanca Perez, wants him buried in Venezuela.
But his long-term mistress, Cecilia Matos, and their two daughters, want to lay him to rest in Florida, where he had lived for more than a decade.
Carlos Andres Perez died of a heart attack in Miami on Saturday, at the age of 88.
He served as president of Venezuela between 1974 and 1979, and again between 1989 and 1993.
Ms Matos - who is frequently referred to as the wife of Mr Perez, although it is unclear if they were actually married - had planned to bury him in Miami.
But Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Gerald Hubbart granted Blanca Perez's request to prevent the Florida funeral home from taking any action to bury, or otherwise dispose of the body, until the dispute is settled.
Coup survivor One of his daughters from his marriage to Blanca - Carolina Perez - said that her mother had the right to decide the fate of her husband's remains.
"They're still married, and the law is very clear in Venezuela and in the United States: When the person dies, the one who has the right to reclaim the body is the spouse, and we exercised that right," she told AP.
Mr Perez's first term was marked by a transformation of Venezuela's economy because of a sudden increase in oil revenues. His second was marred by allegations of corruption.
Forced to leave office in 1993, he was then sentenced to 28 months in prison for the misappropriation of millions of dollars in public funds.
He spent the first few months in a jail in Caracas, but was then allowed to serve the rest of his term under house arrest. Mr Perez had always denied any wrongdoing.
He survived two coup attempts in 1992, the first of which was led by current President Hugo Chavez, who was then a young army lieutenant colonel.
In recent years, Mr Perez lived in Miami, fighting demands by the current government in Caracas to extradite him to stand trial for his role in putting down riots in 1989.
He was accused of sending troops into the streets to fire indiscriminately on protesters during the so-called Caracazo riots.
Online Business Consulting | Internet Business Consulting
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