President Bachelet attends memorial service for Volodia Teitelboim

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SANTIAGO.- President Michelle Bachelet arrived today at the former National Congress building to pay her respects to the remains of the distinguished writer and communist leader, Volodia Teitelboim. Teitelboim passed away yesterday from a multi-organ failure resulting from pneumonia.

The President arrived at the memorial service along with the Government Secretary General, Francisco Vidal and Labor Minister Osvaldo Andrade, who also paid their own respects to the Communist Party leader, while joining in a hymn of the Communist Party's national anthem.

Just before leaving, Bachelet stated that "all of Chile has kindly and respectfully acknowledged the passing of Volodia Teitelboim, who undoubtedly has left behind a large political and intellectual void".

Many people gathered throughout the morning to bid farewell to the communist politician and writer.

The doors of the building, located on Catedral Street, were opened to the public at 8:30 AM, and will continue to be open until the flow of people arriving to say goodbye to the former PC secretary general subsides.