The Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities, Wimal Weerawansa and the Deputy Minister of External Affairs, Neomal Perera together with Sri Lanka`s Ambassador to Cuba (with concurrent accreditation to Venezuela), Sarath Dissanayake represented the President, the Government and people of Sri Lanka at the State Funeral of the late President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela on 8th March 2013 in Caracas. On arrival at the Caracas Airport on 7th March, they were met by Vice Foreign Minister of Venezuela, David Velasquex Caraballo.