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“I know you've come to kill me. Shoot, coward, you're only
going to kill a man”
These were the words just before Che was executed by the CIA
officer, on 9th of October 1967.
Che was right they executed him but they never could’ve or
can execute his ideas.
In the 21st century in 2007, after 40 years of
his execution on every mass demonstration, mass protest
that are against the current political and economic system
in any part of he world you will find CHE GUEVARA Flags,
banners, placards and you will here his slogans. Che is
alive his voice is still here in fact its still the biggest
voice against oppression, poverty, capitalism and
imperialism.
Che Guevara was born on June 14th 1928 in Rosario
Argentina., to a middle class family. He studied medicine at
the Buenos Aires faculty of medicine, and graduated as a
doctor in 1953.
He had asthma through out his life often he couldn’t walk
therefore he had to spend a lot of time in bed. He mad a
keen interest in reading and learning to play chess.
While studying at the university He started reading more
political books. It was here when he engaged with left wing
ideas. He started reading Karl Marx, Fredric Engels
generally the socialist literature at the time. He also
loved poetry and was grateful among others by the works of
Chilean writer Pablo Neruda and Spanish civil war poet
Fedrico Lorca however he never joined any political
organisation. How ever he was known for his strong opinions
and very outspoken for his radical political views.
Che’s first international tour took place just a year before
he graduated from University. He travelled around Latin
America with his friend Alberto Granados on a motorcycle.
They went on this journey to gain medical experiences. This
journey made him politically conscious as he saw the bitter
life of the miners in Chile and how they were exploited by
private companies. In Peru he saw the indigenous people as
they were living in an absolute poverty. He realised that
they are victims of imperialism. Che resulted in a powerful
anti imperialism consciousness.
On his 24th birthday party in Peru he made a
speech “Latin America’s division into illusory and
uncertain nationalities is completely fictitious. We
continue a single Mestizo race, which from Mexico to the
straight of Magellan presents notable ethnographic
similarities for this in an attempt to rid myself of the
weight of any meagre provincialism. I raise a toast to Peru
and for united America”
This statement clearly shows his internationalist opinions
and also calling for united Latin America which was an
obvious statement against imperialism.
Visited Colombia and Venezuela in Caracas he separated from
his friend Alberto, and went back to Argentina to sit his
exams. In the end of his travel diaries he has wrote “I am
not I; or at least I am not that I was before)
During July 1953 che made his next international tour. He
Visited Bolivia, Guatemala and Mexico. He witnessed the
uprising of workers and peasants in Bolivia that brought the
left wing popular government to power. These events were
very effective on his political views, but it was in
Guatemala were he actively involved.
He worked in a hospital and met Hilda Godea, who was a
political exiled leader of the youth wing of the radical
Peruvian populist movement. She introduced him to political
leaders and gave him political works to study.
Che criticised the communist parties and leaders for joining
with the national capitalist parties in government. He was
right then as the events in Guatemala resulted in a bloody
defeat.
By September he arrived in Mexico as a new political
activist. From his experience in Guatemala and Bolivia, che
criticised the communist parties, found them too
conservative and orthodox. Che rejected the idea of
parliamentary democracy then socialism. This was the
communist parties approach at the time for leading workers
revolution.
He was drawn to the struggle against Batista’s dictator
regime in Cuba. He joined the July 26th movement
that was lead by Fidel Castro who was an exile in Mexico at
the time.
The movement was based on more of radical left liberal
principles. Che
emerged as a prominent representative of the movement's more
radical elements.
On 2nd December 1956. eighty two guerrilla
fighters including che Guevara and Fidel castor were landed
in Cuba, and began what became two-year of guerrilla war
that overthrow the dictatorship in Cuba and it led the Cuban
revolution. After the regime collapsed
the rebels entered the cities on New Year's Day 1959, and
were greeted by the eruption of a massive general strike
that marked the end of dictatorship in Cuba.
Before the revolution fifty percent of children of primary
school age received no education, after the revolution it
was available for all. Health care was developed and mad
free for all, in fact Cuba still has the best education and
health care system in the world. Che was against any
privilege to be taken by government officials and
representatives he was very aggressive toward those who took
minimal perk.
He travelled to Soviet Union. He was shocked by the life
style of the bureaucrats and how the bureaucracy was ruling
Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. When he returned to Cuba he
called Soviet Union and Eastern Europe “pigsty and horse
shit”.
Che’s internationalist ideas had a lot of impact on young
people through out Latin America. Cuba became example of
struggle through out the continent against dictatorships.
Che was involved in assisting guerrilla groups in Venezuela,
Peru and Nicaragua. Eventually he wasn’t happy with the
bureaucracy and dictatorship in Soviet Union and he wasn’t
happy with Cuba following the same path.
Finally he left Cuba during 1965. Not to Latin America but
to Africa to Fight in Congo. He left a letter to Castro and
finished the letter with his famous phrase which to become a
battle cry of the youth around the worlds in struggle
against dictatorships “Hasta la Victoria simpre” “until
victory always”
Cubans forces had to withdraw and admitted defeat in Congo
after government assaults on the rebels. Che found
refuge in Cuban embassy and through Eastern Europe he
returned to Cuba.
He emerged to Bolivia in 1967. He was hoping to spread the
struggle against imperialism and capitalism through a
guerrilla campaign, from Bolivia to the whole continent.
Unfortunately after months of fighting the guerrilla forces
were isolated. No support forthcoming from Havana.
Communication with national liberation army broke down. Set
back after set back.
Che’s health began to give out unable to walk from asthma
attacks; he was forced to ride on horse back.
Che’s force was in battle with 1.500 soldiers of Bolivian
army in collaboration with CIA, they tracked his force down.
On 8th of October 1967 he and his guerrilla were
captured near the village of la Higuera. The next day he was
interviewed for forty five minutes and his murder was
ordered by a Cuban born CIA agent Felix Rodriquez. When
asked “are you Cuban or Argentinean” che replied “I am
Argentinean, Peruvian, Cuban, Ecuadorian, you understand…”
He was executed at the age of 39. His executioners cut off
his hands and sent it back to Cuba as proof of his death,
and buried in a secret grave. His body was later returned to
Cuba.
Painted on a wall next to his grave a simple slogan” che
alive as they never wanted you to be”.
Che undoubtedly is the bravest revolutionary that has ever
lived. The spirit of a heroic commitment to struggle against
capitalism has been bequeathed to new generations. His
example still inspire many struggle to over through
capitalism and fight for an alternative. Socialists see Che
as an honest, heroic revolutionary. They did kill him but
they never ever could’ve killed his ideas against
oppressions, poverty, capitalism and imperialism through out
the world.
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