Tauranga's flag was lowered to half-mast on Saturday to mark the funeral of long time Venezuelan President Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias.

Government and public buildings lowered their flags throughout the country to mark the death of the 58-year-old Venezuelan President who died after a two-year battle with cancer.

Ministry for Culture and Heritage operations advisor Ashley Mackenzie-White says New Zealand flags were half-masted at the request of Prime Minister John Key.

The president's death is also specified under the New Zealand Flag Notice 1986. The notice describes when the flags are flown at half-mast including the days of national commemoration and in the case of the death of a foreign head of state.

She says the lowering of the flags was for Saturday only, marking the day of the funeral.

Tauranga City Council received the request to lower the flag last week.