Hearing set in Venezuela ex-pres burial case
MIAMI (AP) – An emergency hearing has been set for Friday in Miami in the dispute over the final burial site of former Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez.
Perez’s estranged wife contends she has burial rights and wants his body returned to Venezuela. But Perez’s longtime mistress wants a judge to allow her to bury him in Miami. The mistress insists Perez did not want to be buried in Venezuela as long as political foe Hugo Chavez was president.
A judge’s aide said Thursday the hearing mainly involves planning and details about the witnesses expected for a trial set to begin March 21. There have been no recent settlement talks.
Perez died Dec. 25. He was president of Venezuela from 1974-79 and again from 1989-93.