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Ernesto Che Guevara<br />
Ernesto Che Guevara was an Argentinean-born, Cuban revolutionary leader who became a left-wing hero.<br />
A photograph of him by Alberto Korda became an iconic image of the 20th century.<br />
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, known as Che Guevara, was born on 14 June 1928 in Rosario, Argentina into a middle-class<br />
family. He studied medicine at Buenos Aires University and during this time travelled widely in South and Central America.<br />
The widespread poverty and oppression he witnessed, fused with his interest in Marxism, convinced him that the only<br />
solution to South and Central America's problems was armed revolution.<br />
In 1954 he went to Mexico and the following year he met Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Guevara joined Castro's<br />
'26th July Movement' and played a key role in the eventual success of its guerrilla war against Cuban dictator Fulgencio<br />
Batista.<br />
Castro overthrew Batista in 1959 and took power in Cuba. From 1959-1961, Guevara was president of the National Bank of<br />
Cuba, and then minister of industry. In this position, he travelled the world as an ambassador for Cuba. At home, he<br />
carried out plans for land redistribution and the nationalisation of industry.<br />
A strong opponent of the United States, he guided the Castro regime towards alignment with the Soviet Union. The Cuban<br />
economy faltered as a result of American trade sanctions and unsuccessful reforms. During this difficult time Guevara<br />
began to fall out with the other Cuban leaders. He later expressed his desire to spread revolution in other parts of the<br />
developing world, and in 1965 Castro announced that Guevara had left Cuba.<br />
Be realistic, Demand the impossible!<br />
Guevara then spent several months in Africa, particularly the Congo, attempting to train rebel forces in guerrilla<br />
warfare. His efforts failed and in 1966 he secretly returned to Cuba. From Cuba he travelled to Bolivia to lead forces<br />
rebelling against the government of René Barrientos Ortuño. With US assistance, the Bolivian army captured Guevara and<br />
his remaining fighters. He was executed on 9 October 1967 in the Bolivian village of La Higuera and his body was buried in a<br />
secret location. In 1997 his remains were discovered, exhumed and returned to Cuba, where he was reburied.<br />
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It is better to die standing than to live on your knees.<br />
Abhi Sharma
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