Chávez: Gaddafi will be remembered as a martyr

From now on, Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi will be remembered as a martyr, according to Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez.

"Unfortunately, Gaddafi's death has been confirmed. He was murdered. It is another onslaught on life," Chávez commented and added that the north-African leader was also a "great fighter."

"We will remember Gaddafi forever as a great fighter, a revolutionary and a martyr," the Head of State told reporters in the Venezuelan Andean city of La Grita.

From the very beginning of the uprising in Libya eight months ago, Chávez jumped in defense of Gaddafi, AFP noted.

The Venezuelan president regarded Gaddafi as a friend and encouraged him to resist the "imperialist aggression" from NATO, which supported Libyan rebels from the outset last February. According to Chávez, all that world super powers want is to grab the Libyan oil.

"That story in Libya is just starting now," Chávez reasoned and reasserted that "the Yankee empire (...) will not be able to master this world."

"Most regrettably, in their intent to rule over the world, the empire and its allies are setting fire to it," he added.