CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela died Tuesday afternoon after a struggle with cancer, the government announced, leaving behind a bitterly divided nation in the grip of a political crisis that grew more acute as he languished for weeks, silent and out of sight, in hospitals in Havana and Caracas. 
 
 Close to tears and his voice cracking, Vice President Nicolás Maduro said he and other officials had gone to the military hospital where Mr. Chávez was being treated, sequestered from the public, when “we received the hardest and most tragic information that we could transmit to our people.” 
 
 In short order, police officers and soldiers were highly visible as people ran through the streets, calling loved ones on cellphones, rushing to get home. Caracas, the capital, which had just received news that the government was throwing out two American military attachés it accused of sowing disorder, quickly became an enormous traffic jam. Stores and shopping malls abruptly closed. 
 
 As darkness fell, somber crowds congregated in the main square of Caracas and at the military hospital, with men and women crying openly in sadness and fear about what would come next. 

 Hugo Chávez's death has plunged Venezuela into uncertainty over the future of his socialist revolution. 
 
 For 14 years he dominated like a Colossus and now that he has fallen, so have the old rules and certitudes. An election, which under the constitution must be held within 30 days of a president's passing, will pit Chávez's ruling party against an opposition coalition. Internal power struggles within each side could prove just as important. 
 
 The world's biggest oil reserves, a troubled economy and a deeply polarised population of 29 million people are the ambiguous prizes for whoever claims the presidential palace of Miraflores. 
 
 First, however, will come Chávez's funeral, likely to be a vast, clamorous affair to rival Evita's. To the millions who revered him – a third of the country, according to some polls – a messiah has fallen, and their grief will be visceral. To the millions who detested him as a thug and charlatan, it will be occasion to bid, vocally or discreetly, good riddance. 
 
 As president, Chávez would liven his near daily marathon broadcasts by singing, rapping, dancing and reciting poetry, an unparalleled showman, and the government will doubtless choreograph a fitting farewell with the help of the civilian militias and state media empire he created. Leaders from across Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe are expected to fly into Caracas along with celebrities such as the actors Sean Penn and Danny Glover and the director Oliver Stone. 
 
 Foreign governments, not least the US administration, will watch closely to see if the late president's movement, "Chavismo", succeeds in holding power and perpetuating his "21st-century socialist revolution", a model entailing state control of the economy, subsidies to Cuba and rhetorical broadsides against Yankee imperialism. 
 
 Foreign oil companies, including Chevron and state-owned Russian and Chinese behemoths, will manoeuvre to protect investments. China, in particular, will be anxious for the new president to honour the huge loans it has made to Venezuela, which Chávez used to supplement record oil revenues and government spending. 
 
 The election, should it be held by the deadline mandated by the constitution, will probably pit the vice-president, Nicolás Maduro, Chávez's anointed heir, against Henrique Capriles, an opposition regional governor who lost to Chávez in last October's election. 
 
 Opinion polls suggest Maduro, a former bus driver lacking the charisma of his old boss, will struggle against Capriles, a youthful challenger who casts himself as a centrist and has the support of traditional elites. Maduro, however, stands to benefit from an emotional funeral, a tight timetable and the "red machine", a formidable electoral alliance of the ruling PSUV party, state institutions and oil revenues. 
 
 Internal power struggles will roil both sides. Maduro has the support of key ministers, civilian ideologues and the Cubans who occupy multiple positions in Venezuela's government. 
 
 However, an ambitious rival, Diosdado Cabello, the head of the national assembly, has allies in the military, the militias and big business, an eclectic coalition considered more pragmatic – and corrupt – than other Chavista factions. There has been speculation he will seek to install himself as provisional president and delay an election. 
 
 A wild card is Chávez's family. His two adult daughters and his older brother, Adán, a governor of their home state of Barinas, have the power to help unite or fracture Chavismo. 
 
 The opposition coalition known as MUD may crack now that it can no longer be held together by loathing of Chávez. A tradition of backstabbing and grandstanding may resurface if figures such as Henri Falcón, governor of Lara state, challenge Capriles for the nomination. 
 
 Should the opposition win the election, observers in Caracas warn of a fraught transition. "The generals, the militias, the civil service, they're all politicised, would they accept a new dispensation? And what about all the Chavista governors and mayors?" asked one diplomat in Caracas. 
 
 No matter who wins, analysts agree he or she will swiftly face dilemmas. Chávez used lavish spending to heat the economy and buy imports in the runup to his re-election. But subsidies, regulations and threats have warped the public sector and withered the private sector. 
 
 Economists say the new president, Chavista or not, will have to cut spending and devalue the currency, stoking inflation and potential unrest. Some opposition analysts wonder if it would be better that Maduro wins so Chavismo reaps the whirlwind. 

 Story highlights Chavez's death leaves many unanswered questions 
 
 Chavez was the leader of Venezuela for 14 years 
 
 Former vice president Nicolás Maduro will take over as president until an election 
 
 Thousands of Venezuelans are expected to line the streets Wednesday morning as Hugo Chavez's remains are taken from the military hospital where he died to the Fuerte Tiuna Military Academy in Caracas. 
 
 Presidents arrived in the country for the funeral procession, including Uruguay's Jose Mujica, Argentina's Cristina Kirchner and Bolivia's Evo Morales. 
 
 The country has declared seven days of mourning, closed schools for the rest of the week and deployed armed forces to "guarantee peace." 
 
 The death of the longtime charismatic but controversial leader Tuesday leaves many unanswered questions that Venezuela and the world must now grapple with. 
 
 Who is expected to succeed Chavez? 
 
 In the short term, Vice President Nicolas Maduro will take over as president of Venezuela until an election is held. He is Chavez's hand-picked successor and delivered the news to the country of the longtime leader's death. 
 
 Maduro, 50, has long been a high-profile face in Chavez's administration. He rose from a career as a bus driver in Caracas to Chavez's inner circle. 
 
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 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – A man adjusts a banner before the start of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's funeral outside the Military Academy on Friday, March 8, in Caracas. Uncertainty swirled around what happens next in Venezuela as the deeply divided South American country mourned its late leader. Chavez, 58, died Tuesday, March 5, after a battle with cancer. Hide Caption 1 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – A woman wraps up in Venezuela's flag to stay warm as she and others wait in line before the start of Chavez's funeral on March 8 in the capital. Hide Caption 2 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Chavez's coffin is carried Wednesday, March 6, to the Military Academy for his funeral in Caracas. Hide Caption 3 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Throngs of Chavez supporters accompany the coffin of the deceased Venezuelan president as it arrives at the Military Academy in Caracas on March 6. Hide Caption 4 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Crowds in Quito, Ecuador, gather around a large photograph of Chavez to pay their respects to the deceased president on March 6. Ecuador's left-leaning president, Rafael Correa, was a Chavez ally. Hide Caption 5 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – A woman watches as Chavez's casket is driven through the streets of Caracas on March 6. Hide Caption 6 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – A man reacts at Plaza Bolivar of Caracas, on March 6. Hide Caption 7 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Members of the military escort Chavez's casket down the streets of Caracas on March 6. Hide Caption 8 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Riot police contain the crowds looking on as Chavez's casket is driven through the streets of Caracas on March 6. Hide Caption 9 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Palestinians hold portraits of Chavez during a rally in front of the Venezuelan Embassy, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on March 6. Hide Caption 10 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Supporters of Chavez light candles while gathering in front of the Venezuelan Embassy in Santiago, Chile, on Tuesday, March 5. Hide Caption 11 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Venezuelans in Caracas react to the news of Chavez's death on March 5. Hide Caption 12 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Venezuelan Defense Minister Diego Molero speaks in Caracas on March 5. He said that the Venezuelan people must fight for Chavez's legacy. Hide Caption 13 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Chavez supporters hold pictures of the late president as they gather on March 5 in front of the Military Hospital in Caracas. Hide Caption 14 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Venezuelans ride motorcycles through Caracas after the announcement of Chavez's death on March 5. Hide Caption 15 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – A man mourns the death of Chavez outside the Military Hospital in Caracas on March 5. Hide Caption 16 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Venezuelans shout in the streets of the capital on March 5. Hide Caption 17 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – A Venezuelan woman adjusts the television while watching the news of Chavez's death on March 5 inside a Venezuelan restaurant in Panama City, Panama. Hide Caption 18 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – Many people in Caracas wept openly as news of Chavez's death spread on March 5. Hide Caption 19 of 20 Photos: Photos: Venezuela in transition After Chavez: Venezuela in transition – A man walks past a mural in Caracas portraying the South American liberator Simon Bolivar, the Venezuelan flag and Chavez on March 5. Hide Caption 20 of 20 
 
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 What is Maduro's reputation? 
 
 Chavez minced no words in his support of Maduro. 
 
 "I ask this of you from my heart," Chavez told a crowd in December about Maduro. "He is one of the young leaders with the greatest ability to continue, if I cannot." 
 
 But other opinions are mixed. 
 
 Maduro has been Venezuela's vice president and foreign minister and has been the recent author of some the country's most radical policies, said Javier Corrales, a professor of political science at Amherst College in Massachusetts. 
 
 "But he also has been behind some of the most pragmatic and conciliatory decisions, including the turnaround in relations with Colombia," Corrales said. 
 
 When will elections take place? 
 
 An election will be called within 30 days, Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said Tuesday. 
 
 What power, if any, does the opposition have? 
 
 Though Chavez has held a tight grip on his presidency for 14 years, there is an opposition movement in Venezuela. 
 
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 Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Chavez's famous friends – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez greets actor Sean Penn after a meeting at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas on March 5, 2011. Penn thanked Chavez for the support given by the Venezuelan government to his nongovernmental organization, which benefits victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Chavez's famous friends – Chavez kisses the hand of British supermodel Naomi Campbell during a meeting in Caracas on October 31, 2007. Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Chavez's famous friends – Director Oliver Stone and Chavez attend the "South of the Border" premiere during the 66th Venice Film Festival on September 7, 2009, in Venice, Italy. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Chavez's famous friends – Chavez speaks to actor Kevin Spacey during a meeting at the Miraflores presidential palace on September 24, 2007. Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Chavez's famous friends – Actor Danny Glover and Chavez embrace while attending the The CITGO-Venezuela Heating Oil Program inauguration ceremony in Harlem, New York, on September 21, 2006. Chavez addressed the United Nations General Assembly a day earlier. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Chavez's famous friends – Actress Susan Sarandon poses for a picture with Chavez and his daughter, Rosa, at the afterparty of the "South of the Border" premiere in New York on September 23, 2009. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Chavez's famous friends – After attending the premiere of his film "Che," actor Benicio del Toro meets with Chavez at the Miraflores palace on March 4, 2009. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Chavez's famous friends – Boxing promoter Don King speaks with Chavez and an unidentified woman at the presidential palace in Caracas on February 2, 2004. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: Photos: Celebrities and Hugo Chavez Chavez's famous friends – Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona shares a laugh with Chavez at a press conference in Caracas on July 22, 2010. Hide Caption 9 of 9 
 
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 A coalition between former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski and a group called the Democratic Unity Roundtable has made the country's opposition the strongest it has ever been, some analysts say. But, says Carl Meacham of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the opposition may still not be strong enough. 
 
 "Capriles' 11-point defeat in October's presidential election, coupled with Chavez's allies winning 20 of 23 gubernatorial elections in December, underscores the fact that the opposition still holds little power," Meacham says. 
 
 Will Chavez's death improve relations with the United States? 
 
 Chavez, for years had a stormy relationship with the U.S., and would stir up nationalistic sentiment and popularity by picking fights with the "imperialist" United States and its allies. 
 
 Senior American officials don't expect the relationship to change dramatically -- at least in the short term -- primarily because Chavez's system still exists. 
 
 The post-Chavez era started out tumultuously Tuesday when Venezuelan officials accused two U.S. Embassy officials of plotting to destabilize the country and said it was expelling them. 
 
 The United States will stay out of the upcoming election, an Obama administration official said. But the White House wants it to be "free and fair and credible," the official said. 
 
 The U.S. remains open to restoring diplomatic relations with an ambassador regardless of the winner, the official said. 
 
 Why does the U.S. want better relations? 
 
 One reason analysts point to is Iran. 
 
 The U.S. may seek Venezuela's help in imposing sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program, senior American officials said. 
 
 Iran and Venezuela have close relations. 
 
 Last year, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad traveled to Venezuela as part of a tour of Latin America. The two leaders vowed to work together. 
 
 Over the years, the two nations have signed more than 270 accords, including trade deals and agreements on construction projects, car and tractor factories, energy initiatives and banking programs. 
 
 The other is oil. 
 
 Will the death affect Venezuela's oil supply? 
 
 It may, some analysts say -- and that would be a huge concern for the United States. 
 
 Venezuela remains the fourth-biggest oil supplier to the U.S. market. If the power vacuum causes exports to drop, U.S. consumers could face higher prices and another hit to the U.S. economy, analysts say. 
 
 When is Chavez's funeral planned? 
 
 Venezuela is planning a state funeral Friday that is expected to be attended by regional and world leaders and dignitaries, including Ahmadinejad. Chavez will be buried after the ceremony but officials have not said where. 
 
 What has been the reaction to the death? 
 
 Chavez allies, such as leaders of Ecuador, China, Iran and Cuba, expressed sorrow and solidarity. 
 
 Bolivian President Evo Morales' voice cracked as he spoke to reporters, describing Chavez as someone "who gave all his life for the liberation of the Venezuelan people ... of all the anti-imperialists and anti-capitalists of the world." 
 
 Longtime critics had a different view, with some saying his death could be seen as an opportunity for change. 
 
 "At this key juncture, I hope the people of Venezuela can now build for themselves a better, brighter future based on the principles of freedom, democracy," Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper said. 
 
 Opinions varied too among CNN readers who offered their thoughts on iReport. 
 
 "We can't in the U.S. always looks at somebody and just label them as a dictator," said Omekongo Dibinga , a motivational speaker from Washington DC. 
 
 "At the end of the day, he's somebody who really wanted to help others to do better. For that he should be respected, even by those who did not agree with his policies." 
 
 Carlos Quijada said he fled Venezuela 10 years ago as a teen because there was no future there.
– Venezuelans now have a final answer to questions about Hugo Chavez's health, but the leader's death has presented the country with a host of new uncertainties. Vice President Nicolas Maduro, Chavez's chosen successor, is leading the country for now, but an election will be called within 30 days. It's not clear whether Maduro will inherit enough of his predecessor's popularity to keep the Chavismo movement alive and defeat an opposition coalition expected to be led by Henrique Capriles, who lost an election to Chavez in October. Maduro may be able to defeat an opposition no longer united by hatred of Chavez, though he may face a power struggle with powerful rival Diosdado Cabello, who has many allies in the military, reports the Guardian. It describes Chavez's relatives as a "wild card"—his brother and two adult daughters "have the power to help unite or fracture Chavismo." Whoever wins will have to deal with rising unrest, a deeply troubled economy, and a bitterly divided nation, the New York Times notes. The US says it is open to restoring diplomatic relations no matter who wins the upcoming election, though a White House spokesman stresses the vote must be "free and fair and credible," CNN reports. Before the battle to replace Chavez kicks off in earnest, there will be seven days of national mourning punctuated by a Friday morning funeral expected to be one of the biggest Latin America has ever seen.