President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela loses his battle with cancer

Following a two-year battle with cancer, the long-standing President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, has died, his vice-president has announced.

Mr Chavez, who won another six-year term as Venezuela's president in October 2012, was one of the most visible, vocal and controversial leaders in Latin America, however he had not appeared in public since he returned to Venezuela last month after cancer treatment in Cuba. 

Soldier turned politician, Hugo Chavez divided opinion across the world - a close ally to Cuba's Fidel Castro and publicly controversially calling President George W Bush 'the devil'. He caused a massive shift in Venezuelan politics, relying on a wave of popular outrage at the traditional political elite to win the presidency in 1998. 

An emotional Nicolas Maduro made the announcement on Tuesday evening, flanked by leading Venezuelan political and military leaders.

Earlier, he said the 58-year-old Venezuelan leader had a new, severe respiratory infection and had entered "his most difficult hours".