State funeral held for Greece's slain ambassador to Brazil

The coffin of late Greek Ambassador to Brazil Kyriakos Amiridis is carried out of a church during a funeral procession, at the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017. Police have said they believe Amiridis, whose charred body was found in a car in Brazil, was killed by his wife's lover under her orders. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) (The Associated Press)

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Mother of Greek late ambassador to Brazil Kyriakos Amiridis, Polymnia Amiridou, center, attends the funeral of her son, at the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017. Police have said they believe Amiridis, whose charred body was found in a car in Brazil, was killed by his wife's lover under her orders. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos) (The Associated Press)

THESSALONIKI, Greece – Greece's ambassador to Brazil, who was murdered there last month, has been buried with full military and civilian honors normally reserved for government ministers.

Kyriakos Amiridis, 59, went missing Dec. 26 in Nova Iguacu, a city near Rio de Janeiro where he had been vacationing with his wife. His charred body was found in a car three days later. Brazilian police say they believe he was killed by his wife's lover under her orders. Those two and a third person have been arrested.

Attending the funeral Sunday in the northern city of Thessaloniki were Amiridis' 95-year-old mother, lawmakers and colleagues.

Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Amanatidis recalled Amiridis' career, especially his role in evacuating Greek and other civilians from war-torn Libya in 2014, where he was ambassador before being posted to Brazil.