Che Guevara

Che Guevara was a prominent communist figure in the Cuban Revolution (1956–59) who went on to become a guerrilla leader in South America. Executed by the Bolivian army in 1967, he has since been regarded as a martyred hero by generations of leftists worldwide. Guevara’s image remains a prevalent icon of leftist radicalism and anti-imperialism.

More to Explore

People and Groups

Themes

Events

Related Topics

Recommended Articles

  • Fidel Castro

    Fidel Castro

    After assuming power in 1959, Fidel Castro transformed Cuba into the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere.

  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    Cuban Missile Crisis

    The Cuban missile crisis between the United States and the Soviet Union brought the world to the brink of nuclear war in October 1962.

  • Cold War

    Cold War

    The rivalry between the United States and the USSR, known as the Cold War, began after World War II and ended with the fall of the Soviet Union.

  • The 1960s

    The 1960s

    Discontent, rebellion and social change defined the 1960s in the United States, shaking the country to its core.

Did You Know?

Che Guevara has been the subject of a number of films, including “The Motorcycle Diaries,” which was based in part on Che's own account of his 1952 journey across South America, an experience that shaped his leftist beliefs.

Contents


Profile

Revolutionary leader. Born Ernesto Guevara de la Serna on June 14, 1928, in Rosario, Argentina. After completing his medical studies at the University of Buenos Aires, Guevara became political active first in his native Argentina and then in neighboring Bolivia and Guatemala. In 1954, he met Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and his brother Raul while in Mexico.

Guevara became part of Fidel Castro's efforts to overthrow the Batista government in Cuba. He served as a military advisor to Castro and led guerrilla troops in battles against Batista forces. When Castro took power in 1959, Guevara became in charge of La Cabaña Fortress prison.   It is estimated that between 156 and 550 people were executed on Guevara's extra-judicial orders during this time.

Later, he became president of the Cuban national bank and helped to shift 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 Cuba's revolution to other parts of the world. In 1966, he began to try to incite the people of Bolivia to rebel against their government, but 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 he could be ruthless and ordered prisoners executed without trial in Cuba. Guevara's life continues to be a subject of great public interest and been explored and portrayed in numerous books and films, including The Motorcycle Diaries (2004).


Biography courtesy of BIO.com

Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

Advertisement

This Day in History

May 23

Lead Story

Police kill famous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, 1934

On this day in 1934, notorious criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are shot to death by Texas and Louisiana state police while driving a stolen car…

Shop HISTORY

See More