After becoming further radicalized by the events in Guatemala, Guevara made close ties with Fidel Castro in the formative years of the Cuban revolution. He was determined to help rid the country of Fulgencio Batista, a brutal U.S. backed dictator who ruled with an iron fist. Guevara originally enlisted as a combat medic, a field in which he was well trained, but later mastered the art of guerrilla warfare and became one of the revolution’s most revered leaders. After several years of violent struggle, the revolution was triumphant. Castro became the new president while Guevara worked in various high ranking positions within the newly formed government.
Che and Fidel | © Alberto Korda – Museo Che Guevara, Havana Cuba/Wikipedia | © Alberto Korda – Museo Che Guevara, Havana Cuba / Wikimedia Commons
It was during this time that Guevara’s actions were most controversial. He personally trained militia that would later assist the Soviets in bringing nuclear warheads within easy reach of the United States. This started a tense standoff known as the Cuban Missile Crisis, a near catastrophic event from which diplomatic relations have never fully recovered. However, the incident that many of Guevara’s detractors refer to is the large scale execution of former Batistasupporters who the new government considered to be enemies of the state. On this occasion, men said to number in their hundreds were lined up and shot without mercy or compassion.
That famous Che photo | © Alberto Korda/Wikipedia
Supporters of Guevara argue revolutions are inherently violent and mass executions are an unfortunate but necessary byproduct of the process. They point out that George Washington and Simon Bolivar oversaw the death of many men in an equally ruthless fashion, yet are rarely branded as tyrants in the history books. Many advocates, including people as illustrious as Nelson Mandela and Pablo Neruda, praise Guevara for his tireless struggle for economic equality and social justice.
So do the ends really justify the brutal means? Some think so, while others would passionately disagree. But for the modest townsfolk of La Higuera, his sacrifice while battling against the repressive imperialists of the time will forever earn him the moniker of Santo Ernesto.
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Source link : https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/bolivia/articles/the-che-guevara-statue-what-to-know-about-bolivias-most-controversial-sculpture
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Publish date : 2017-10-20 03:00:00
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