Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has died at the age of 58 after a two-year battle with cancer. News of Chávez’s death was delivered Tuesday in an emotional address by Vice President Nicolás Maduro.

Nicolás Maduro: “We accompanied his daughters, his brother, his family members, and we received the hardest and the most tragic of news that we will ever transmit to our people: At 4:25 in the afternoon today, the 5th of March, Comandante President Hugo Chávez Frías died.”

Venezuela has announced a seven-day period of mourning, with a funeral scheduled for Friday. An election to select Chávez’s successor will be called within 30 days. News of Chávez’s passing came hours after the Venezuelan government said it had expelled two U.S. military attachés over allegations of planning to destabilize the country.