It was October 9, 1967, when, after being captured in La Higuera, a small Bolivian village, Ernesto “El Che” Guevara was executed by a Bolivian army firing squad.
Ernesto Guevara was an Argentine revolutionary and guerrilla fighter, famous for his active participation in the “revolutions” of several South American countries such as Cuba and Bolivia.
Born in Rosario on June 14, 1928, Guevara spent his childhood divided between two great passions: chess and literature. From an early age, “El Che” showed a particular gift for poetry, developing a deep appreciation for the writings of Pablo Neruda, Emilio Salgari, Jules Verne, Alexandre Dumas, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
During his adolescence, Guevara was the typical scion of the Argentine petty bourgeoisie. Uninterested in political activism, he devoted himself mainly to reading, photography, and playing rugby, showing no concern for the social issues that plagued Argentina and South America at that time. After completing high school, Guevara enrolled in medical school, dreaming of becoming a researcher. It was during his university years that he began to turn his attention to politics, clashing with the Marxists of the “Juventud Comunista,” whom he accused of being sectarian and lacking flexibility.
Alongside his academic career, Guevara also began traveling across South America on his motorcycle, deeply struck by the widespread poverty that afflicted the continent. At the same time, he developed an interest in Latin America’s social struggles and began to nurture the idea of a borderless South America—united by a single culture, closer to being one entity than a collection of separate states.
These convictions led him to embrace the causes of several countries in revolt against their central governments: Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Honduras were all pivotal stops for Guevara, who became increasingly convinced that he had to take part in these “uprisings” to see his ideals realized. In Guatemala, he came into close contact with Cuban exiles, who introduced him to Fidel Castro, a revolutionary intent on overthrowing the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.
The meeting with Fidel Castro proved decisive for Guevara’s life. He chose to join Castro’s revolutionary movement and began actively participating in guerrilla warfare against Batista’s regime. From 1956 to 1959, Guevara, together with a platoon of about 17 men, took part in revolutionary actions that contributed to building the myth of “El Che” among the people.
Leading his so-called “suicide squad,” the Argentine played a key role in some of the most significant episodes of the Cuban Revolution, such as the battles of Santa Clara and Sierra Maestra, establishing himself on the South American stage as a true popular hero.
From 1959 to 1965, Ernesto Guevara was deeply involved in the political life of the “new” Republic of Cuba, first as head of the National Institute of Agrarian Reform and later as president of the National Bank of Cuba. Yet institutional and bureaucratic life did not suit “El Che.” Feeling uneasy in these positions and missing the “life of action,” in January 1965 he decided to retire from public life, disappearing from the scene.
It was only in November 1965 that Fidel Castro, through an official statement, informed the Cuban nation that Ernesto “El Che” Guevara had chosen to fight elsewhere, seeking to bring his revolutionary support and ideas to other countries “oppressed” by dictatorships. Guevara first went to Congo, where he fought alongside the Simba rebels, and later to Bolivia to oppose President René Barrientos Ortuño.
It was in Bolivia that Ernesto Guevara was captured by the Bolivian army on October 8, 1967. Despite his potential value as a political prisoner, “El Che” was executed the following day by Mario Terán, a Bolivian army sergeant.
With his death, Ernesto “Che” Guevara quickly became not only the symbol of revolution in South America but also the global icon of leftist revolutionary movements. His story, his life, and above all his image were perfectly suited to embody the spirit of worldwide revolution.
Leaving aside the iconoclasm surrounding Guevara—much, perhaps too much, has already been written—it is worth remembering his artistic side, which has long been overshadowed by his political life.
Throughout his life, Ernesto Guevara was also an author of poems and literary essays of considerable interest. His many writings have been invaluable in understanding his true thoughts on the events that marked both his life and his myth.
Guevara’s works reflect his personality: the humility and simplicity that characterized “El Che” are clearly evident in his literary style. Despite his revolutionary life, he always managed to cultivate his lifelong passion for literature.
From the letters and diaries that have survived, we learn that among the many facets of Ernesto Guevara’s personality, there was also that of the poet. Thanks to his writings, we can see that behind the bloody image of the guerrilla fighter, there also lived a more sensitive side, in stark contrast with his public persona.
This passion undoubtedly contributed to his development as both a man and a leader. Guevara was never merely a ruthless leftist revolutionary—he also stood out for his moral stature. It was this quality that made him one of the great icons of the 20th century.
Carlo Alberto Ribaudo
Disclaimer: The original article in Italian is available here: “Ernesto ‘El Che’ Guevara, il poeta dietro al rivoluzionario”
