Che Guevara

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Che Guevara

Che Guevara was born Ernesto Rafael Guevara de la Serna on May 14, 1928 in Rosario, Argentina. He was the first-born child of Ernesto Guevara Lynch and Celia de la Serna. His date of birth has been a rather delicate matter as he was actually born on May 14 although his parents claimed that he was born on June 14 because on May 14, his parents weren’t married and according to certain traditions, it was considered bad in the eyes of God to have a child out of wedlock.

Ernesto was diagnosed with asthma at an early age, making the family forced to move away from Rosario and instead settle themselves in a small village up in the Argentinian mountains – despite the asthma, he was considered a great athlete.

In 1948, Ernesto started to study medicine at the University of Buenos Aires, and he graduated from there in 1953 after a trip through South America on an old motorcycle with his good friend, Alberto Granado. He documented the whole journey in a diary that became known as “The Motorcycle Diaries”, which has been made into a movie in the 21st century. During the motorcycle journey, he understood that the only way to save the corrupted governments of the South American countries was through a revolution.

When back from his trip and after his graduation, Ernesto went to Guatemala where president Jacobo Arbenz led a populistic left-wing party, that through different reforms – was planning a socialistic revolution. It was also during this time in Guatemala that Ernesto got his nickname ‘Che’ which literally means ‘mate’. In the year of 1954, Arbenz was overthrown as president of Guatemala by the CIA (central intelligence agency). This was Che’s proof that the USA was going to oppose governments in the South American countries and even other developing countries. Arbenz asked his followers to flee the country, so Che took off back to Argentina through the Argentinian consulat.

Che’s greatest achievement in life must be his participation in the Cuban revolution of 1959. This adventure started in Mexico City where Che met Fidel and Raúl Castro, two exile Cuban brothers who were confident in overthrowing the Cuban dictator, Fulgenico Batista, who had risen to power after the presidential election of 1952. With the help of Fidel’s wife and her friends, the two brothers and the Argentinian socialist revolutionary gathered 82 people to participate in the overthrowing of Batista and the total revolution of Cuba.

It is November, 1956, the 82 rebels have just landed the Cuban northwestern coast, the landing seems like a complete success as they arrived in the broad daylight, making it impossible for the Cuban air force to detect them. The actual military revolution lasted about 2,5 years. After one year in the Cuban mountains of Sierra Maestra, Che was promoted to the highest rank in the guerilla, Comandante (comparable to the rank of Colonel in the west European countries and the US). Che was considered a great tactician and gunman but also a moral and understanding commander.

On the first of January, 1959, Fulgencio Batista and his subordinates fled the country and Fidel’s rebels marched triumphally through the streets of Havanna to the presidential palace where Fidel Castro claimed the title of “Comandante en jefe” and “Jefe en estado” which literally means: The Commander in Chief and Head of State. Che himself was made Minister of Industry and head of the national bank.

Che left Cuba for Bolivia in 1965 to commence a socialistic revolution against the corrupted capitalistic government, without knowing what was to become of him in two years. On October 8, 1967, Che was captured by Bolivian elite soldiers in the vicinity of La Higuera.

On October 9, 1967, at exactly 1:10 in the afternoon, Bolivian time, Ernesto ‘Che’ Rafael Guevara de la Serna was executed by Félix Rodríguez of the American intelligence agency, the CIA. His last words were “I know you are here to kill me. Shoot...