Know Your Leader : Che Guevara

QUICK FACTS

NAME

Che Guevara

OCCUPATION

Military Leader

BIRTH DATE

June 14, 1928

DEATH DATE

October 9, 1967

EDUCATION

University of Buenos Aires

PLACE OF BIRTH

Rosario, Argentina

PLACE OF DEATH

La Higuera, Bolivia

AKA

Ernesto Guevara

Che Guevara

FULL NAME

Ernesto Guevara de la Serna

Che Guevara was a Marxist revolutionary allied with Fidel Castro who went on to become an iconic cultural hero.


Born in Rosario, Argentina, on June 14, 1928, Ernesto R. Guevara de la Serna studied medicine before traveling around South America, observing conditions that spurred his Marxist beliefs. He aided Fidel Castro in overturning the Cuban government and then worked in a political post. Guevara later engaged in guerrilla action in Bolivia, where he was killed. He's revered by many as a cultural hero.

Meeting Fidel Castro

Revolutionary leader Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, better known as Che Guevara, was born on June 14, 1928, in Rosario, Argentina. After completing his medical studies at the University of Buenos Aires, Guevara first became politically active 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.

Rise to Power and Death

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.

Legacy

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).