Above: Haiti President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe (centre) (Photo: OP Haiti)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

A number of Caribbean leaders have arrived in Venezuela for the funeral of former President Hugo Chavez, who died Tuesday.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar arrived in Caracas Thursday night, as did Haiti President Michel Martelly, Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe and Foreign Minister Pierre Richard Casimir.

St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas is also leading a delegation to the funeral.

A host of Caribbean countries are currently observing national periods of mourning for Chavez, who supported much of the region with his PetroCaribe programme, which provided oil at concessionary rates through 17 to 25-year financing agreements.

PetroCaribe also established a fund for development projects in the Caribbean.

Cuba’s Raul Castro, Venezuela’s closest ally in the region, also came to Caracas to pay tribute to Chavez, whose funeral is Friday.