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Gabriel Garcia Marquez farewell to take place in the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City

The chairman of the National Council for Culture and Arts Rafael Tovar noted that it’s not yet decided where Garcia Marquez will be buried

Gabriel Garcia Marquez EPA/MARIO GUZMAN

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

© EPA/MARIO GUZMAN

MEXICO CITY, April 21. /ITAR- TASS/. The President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto and the head of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos are expected to attend the memorial event, representatives of the city authorities said. According to the chairman of the National Council for Culture and Arts (NSKI) Rafael Tovar farewell ceremony will last about four hours. It will bring together the world of culture and representatives of ethnic communities, as well as admirers of the writer.

Rafael Tovar noted that it’s not yet decided where Garcia Marquez will be buried. Writer’s relatives living in Mexico City want his ashes remained in the Mexican capital. Colombian relatives asked to carry his ashes in this country, which is his homeland. Currently considered the option, in which one part of the Marquez ashes will remain in Mexico City, and the other will be sent to Bogota. According to the head NSKI, relatives of the writer have not yet made a final decision on this matter.
Marquez died April 17 at his residence in Mexico City. According to the preliminary version the cause of death were renal and respiratory diseases. March 31 the writer was hospitalized with suspected pneumonia, but a week before his death he was discharged from the hospital.

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