Che Guevara was an eminent communist figure in the Cuban Revolution (1956-59) who became a guerrilla leader in South America. Executed by the Bolivian army in 1967, he has been considered a martyred hero by generations of leftists around the world. Guevara's image continues to be a dominant icon of radicalism on the left and anti-imperialism.
The revolutionary leader Ernesto Guevara de la Serna was born on June 14, 1928, In Rosario, Argentina. After completing his medical studies at the University of Buenos Aires, Guevara became an active politician first in his native Argentina and then in neighboring Bolivia and Guatemala. In 1954, he met the Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl in Mexico.
Did you know?
Che Guevara has been the subject of several films, including "The Motorcycle Diaries", based in part on Che's version of his trip to South America in 1952, an experience that shaped his leftist beliefs.
Guevara became part of Fidel Castro's efforts to overthrow the Batista government in Cuba. He served as Castro's military advisor and led guerrilla troops in battles against Batista's forces. When Castro took power in 1959, Guevara took over the La Cabaña fortress prison. It is estimated that between 156 and 550 people were executed under the extrajudicial orders of Guevara during this period.
Later, he became president of the Cuban National Bank and helped to change the country's trade relations from the United States to the Soviet Union. Three years later, he was appointed Minister of Industry. Guevara left this post in 1965 to export the ideas of the Cuban revolution to other parts of the world. In 1966, he began trying to incite the people of Bolivia to rebel against his government, but he had little success. With only a small guerrilla force to support his efforts, Guevara was captured and killed in La Higuera by the Bolivian army on October 9, 1967.
Since his death, Guevara has become a legendary political figure. His name is often equated with rebellion, revolution, and socialism. Others, however, still remember that it could be ruthless and order the execution of prisoners without trial in Cuba. Guevara's life remains a subject of great public interest and has been explored and described in numerous books and films, including The Motorcycle Diaries (2004).