Chilean communist leader Guillermo Teillier dies at 79

Guillermo Teillier, President of the Communist Party of Chile since 2005, has died at 79.

Teillier was born in Santa Bárbara, Biobío Region, on October 29, 1943.

He joined the Communist Youth in 1958, serving as regional secretary in the cities of Temuco and Valdivia. He then became regional secretary in Valdivia, where he was caught in the 1973 Chilean coup d'état. In 1974, he held the same post in Concepción and Lota. 

Chile Protests: The Communist Party condemns Piñera government's repression

In a press conference held in Santiago on October 19th, the leadership of the Communist Party of Chile (Partido Comunista de Chile) condemned the policy of repression exercised by the right-wing government of Sebastián Piñera during the last days of uprising in the country's capital. 

The Communist Party's President, Guillermo Teillier said: "Applying the Internal State Security Law causes outrage to protesters. Politics are militarized and democracy is locked", adding that "if President Piñera is unable to govern, he must step aside and call for new elections".