Venezuela's Chavez remembered with pomp and protests

CARACAS (Reuters) - Followers of Venezuela's late socialist leader Hugo Chavez took to the streets on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of his death, a sad but welcome distraction for his successor who has faced a month of violent protests.

A year after Chavez succumbed to cancer, his self-proclaimed 'son,' President Nicolas Maduro, faces the biggest challenge to his rule from an explosion of anti-government demonstrations that have led to clashes with security forces and 18 deaths.