HANOI (AFP) – Thousands queued across Vietnam on Friday to pay their final respects to Communist Party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the most powerful leader the country has seen in decades.
The 80-year-old, who died in a hospital in the capital Hanoi last week, led the party since 2011 and oversaw a high-profile anti-corruption drive that swept through the party, police, armed forces, and business.
Thousands of people wearing black queued in Hanoi to see the leader before his burial at Mai Dich cemetery, the final resting place for many senior leaders in Vietnam, at 3:00 pm (0800 GMT) Friday.
“I spent more than four hours queueing last night,” Tran Hoang Nguyet Mai told AFP on Friday.
“Luckily I got into the funeral house to say farewell to a leader I respect,” she said.
“He was the last true communist that thought of no benefits for himself and his family.”
Since Thursday, 210,000 people have paid their respects to Trong at ceremonies in Hanoi, southern Ho Chi Minh City, and his village on the capital’s outskirts, authorities said Friday morning.
All flags across the country flew at half mast, while entertainment and sporting events have been suspended during the mourning period.
Trong’s poor health had fuelled widespread speculation that he would not be able to stay in power until the 2026 party congress.
Trong was praised earlier by US President Joe Biden as “a champion of deep ties” between Vietnam and the United States. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the Vietnamese leader as a “true friend of Russia”.
