A screen showing a video image of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez plays in front of the site where Chavez's funeral ceremony will take place as people gather outside the military academy in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, March 8, 2013. Friday's funeral promises to be a final turn on the world stage for Chavez after 14 years in power, though in some ways the former paratrooper is not going anywhere: Venezuela announced Thursday that it would embalm his body and put it on permanent display. A girl dressed in Chavez military fatigues, including his trademark red beret, salutes to the camera as she lines up with others outside the military academy where the funeral ceremony for Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez will take place in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, March 8, 2013. Supporters of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez shout slogans as they line up outside the military academy where a funeral ceremony will take place for him in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, March 8, 2013. At right, a Chavez supporter holds up a doll in his likeness. People line up for lunch boxes being distributed outside the military academy where a funeral ceremony will take place for Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, March 8, 2013. People gather outside the military academy where the funeral ceremony for Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez will take place in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, March 8, 2013. CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - With folk songs, a soaring choir and the brandishing of a symbolic sword, Venezuela bade goodbye to President Hugo Chavez in an emotional funeral Friday as his hand-picked successor pledged to fiercely defend his socialist revolution. The ceremony drew world leaders, athletes and left-wing celebrities, while multitudes of Chavez supporters watched on giant screens outside. The day is set to end with the swearing-in of Vice President Nicolas Maduro as interim president, despite criticism from opposition leaders that the move is unconstitutional. The funeral launched with Venezuela's national youth orchestra singing the national anthem, led by famed conductor Gustavo Dudamel. A government-allied congressman later belted out cowboy songs from Chavez's native Barinas state. More than 30 political leaders including Cuba's Raul Castro and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stood at attention before Chavez's flag-draped coffin, and the guest list in large part reflected Chavez's foreign policy of strident criticism of the U.S. and embrace of other nations at odds with Washington. The United States was represented by Rep. Gregory Meeks, a New York Democrat, and former Rep. William Delahunt, a Democrat from Massachusetts. The Rev. Jesse Jackson delivered a short sermon, preaching rapprochement between the U.S. and Venezuela. "Venezuela is not alone," Jackson said. With Maduro, grant him wisdom and support as he keeps hopes and dreams alive, as he picks up the baton and makes a great nation greater. We pray God today that you will heal the breach between the U.S. and Venezuela. More conservative leaders from nearby nations also joined the funeral, including Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. Ahmadinejad won one of the biggest rounds of applause of leaders entering the funeral. "It is a great pain for us because we have lost a friend," Ahmadinejad said upon his arrival at the airport the night before. With much of the world watching, Maduro delivered a fiery speech repeating some of the aggressive rhetoric he had used just hours before announcing Chavez's death Tuesday. "Here you are commander with your men, standing, all your men and women, loyal as we swore before you, loyal until beyond death," Maduro shouted, his voice breaking with emotion. We have smashed the curse of betrayal of the country and we will smash the curse of defeat and regression. At the end of the funeral, Maduro handed a replica of Simon Bolivar's sword to the family of Chavez, who had modeled himself on the independence hero and even added "The Bolivarian Republic" to the nation's name. On Thursday, the acting leader announced the government would embalm Chavez's body and put it on permanent display, a decision that touched off strong passions on both sides of this deeply divided country, which Chavez ruled for 14 years before succumbing to cancer on Tuesday, at the age of 58. Most of the normally traffic-choked streets of Caracas were empty, with schools and many businesses shuttered. Many Venezuelans, particularly Chavez supporters, said they were caught up in the pomp and circumstance of the past few days, and flattered to be the subject of world's attention. Others said they were put off by what they saw as excess, particularly the plan to put Chavez's body on display. The government gave national and international media no direct access to the funeral, a measure of the strict control with which Chavez and his top lieutenants have controlled the country for years. Following the funeral, National Assembly Speaker Diosdado Cabello was to swear in Maduro as interim president at the same military academy complex where Chavez's body is lying in state. In announcing the opposition boycott, spokesman Angel Medina said that Maduro's ascension is "a violation of the constitutional order." Venezuelans should walk along the path of constitutionality. Today, more than ever we reject that they use the name of the president of the republic, who today is being buried, for political ends," he said. Critics believe Venezuela's 1999 charter stipulates that the speaker of the National Assembly take power in the event of a presidential death. The constitution says elections must be held within 30 days of Chavez's March 5 death, though the government has not set a date. Heart-broken supporters were clearly in favor of the effort. Yet for some lined up to see Chavez's body early Friday, the road ahead meant keeping the late leader's legacy alive.