The mountaineering federation of Russia’s North Caucasus Republic of North Ossetia wants a mountain peak there to be name after late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Federation chairman Kazbek Khamitsayev said that 20 mountaineers will start climbing a 3,400-meter mountain on March 8.
Khamitsayev said that after reaching the mountain’s peak, the climbers will officially propose to name it Hugo Chavez.
The Venezuelan president died earlier this week.
Under his presidency, Venezuela recognized the independence of Georgia’s breakaway republic of South Ossetia.
Along with Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Tuvalu recognized South Ossetia and another Georgian breakaway region, Abkhazia, as independent.
The move followed a five-day war between Russia and Georgia in August 2008.
Georgia considers South Ossetia and Abkhazia as integral parts of its territory.