Che

Che guevar

a

Che Guevara was an Argentinean-born, Cuban revolutionary leader who became a left-wing hero. A photograph of him by Alberto

Korda became an iconic image of the 20th century.

Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, known as Che Guevara, was

born on 14 June 1928 in Rosario, Argentina into a

middle-class family. He studied medicine at Buenos Aires

University and during this time travelled widely in South and

Central America. The widespread poverty and

oppression he witnessed, fused with his interest in Marxism, convinced him that the only

solution to South and Central America's problems was armed

revolution.

In 1954 he went to Mexico and the following year he met Cuban

revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Guevara joined Castro's '26th July

Movement' and played a key role in the eventual success of its guerrilla war against Cuban dictator Batista.

Castro overthrew Batista in 1959 and took power in Cuba. From 1959-1961, Guevara

was president of the National Bank of Cuba, and then minister of industry. In

this position, he travelled the world as an ambassador for Cuba. At home, he carried out plans for land redistribution and the

nationalisation of industry.

A strong opponent of the United States, he guided the Castro regime towards alignment with the Soviet Union. The Cuban economy faltered as a result of

American trade sanctions and unsuccessful reforms. During this difficult time Guevara began to fall out with the other Cuban leaders. He later expressed his desire to spread revolution in other parts of the developing world, and in

1965 Castro announced that Guevara had left Cuba.

Guevara then spent several months in Africa, particularly

the Congo, attempting to train rebel forces in guerrilla

warfare. His efforts failed and in 1966 he secretly returned

to Cuba. From Cuba he travelled to Bolivia to lead forces rebelling against the

government of René Barrientos Ortuño. With US

assistance, the Bolivian army captured Guevara and his

remaining fighters. He was executed on 9 October 1967 in the Bolivian village of La Higuera and his body was

buried in a secret location. In 1997 his remains were

discovered, exhumed and returned to Cuba, where he

was reburied.

If they attack, we shall fight

to the end.