Hugo Chávez, the president of Venezuela, has died in a military hospital after a long battle against cancer.

The country’s vice president, Nicolas Maduro, announced the death in a national television broadcast.

He said Chavez died at 4.25 pm local time “after battling a tough illness for nearly two years”.

The fiery populist leader’s condition had been said to be deteriorating in recent days.

He had been undergoing cancer treatment in Cuba on and off since June 2011 – when he was first diagnosed with the illness.

The announcement came just hours after Mr Maduro announced the government had expelled two US diplomats from the country.

He said “we have no doubt” that Chavez’s illness was induced by foul play by “the historical enemies of our homeland”.

Mr Maduro is Chavez’s self-annointed successor and has been holding the reigns since the president’s health took a turn for the worse.

The government announced late Monday that Chavez’s condition was “very delicate” due to a “new, severe” respiratory infection.

Chevez had not been seen in public or heard since undergoing a fourth round of surgery in Cuba on December 11 in the pelvic area

The government said he returned home on February 18, and had been confined to Caracas’ military hospital ever since.

During more than 14 years in office, Chavez routinely challenged the status quo at home and internationally.

The former paratrooper commander declared a socialist revolution in Venezuela, crusaded against US influence and championed a leftist revival across Latin America.

His death sets up a snap presidential election after his illness prevented him from taking the oath of office when he was re-elected last year.

Under the constitution, the head of Congress, Diosdado Cabello, would assume the interim presidency.

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