CHE GUEVARA - SYMBOL OF STRUGGLE - redlug.com

1 CHE GUEVARA - SYMBOL OF STRUGGLE . By tony Saunois Introduction Chapter 1 A Bohemian Beginning Page 6. Chapter 2 In Bolivia Page 13. Chapter 3 What Do I join? Page 19. Chapter 4 Guerillaism and Marxism Page 26. Chapter 5 Granma and The July 26th Movement Page 31. Chapter 6 In Power - Cuba versus 'the gringos' Page 44. Chapter 7 A New Cuba Page 49. Chapter 8 Congo to Bolivia Page 60. Chapter 9 Epilogue Page 69. Introduction DURING 1996 and 1997 numerous More importantly the renewed interest books, pamphlets and articles have in Che GUEVARA reflects the appeal he been published by assorted writers always had for those looking for a way about Ernesto GUEVARA to to change society and end the commemorate the thirtieth anniversary exploitation of capitalism and of his execution. Throughout the imperialism. Che, and Cuba, are seen world he is known simply as 'Che'. He by many as a SYMBOL of resistance. was given this nickname by friends Reflected in the public display of and comrades in STRUGGLE when he was support for Che GUEVARA by a new in Mexico during the 1950s.

2 Che is a generation, is the beginning of a commonly used term in Argentina - search for revolutionary socialist ideas his native country. In 1997 young which offer a viable alternative society people in Latin America and Europe to capitalism. have begun to wear Che GUEVARA T- shirts and display posters of his So why has the CWI produced another portrait. pamphlet on Che and Cuba when so much has already been written on Some cynical and superficial pro- them internationally? capitalist journalists have attempted to dismiss this re-awakened interest in Apart from the cynical articles and on Che. They have falsely attempted to occasion flippant articles in some portray it as nothing more than a magazines and papers some serious desire to be identified with the so- books and biographies have already called permissive life-style associated been produced. Che GUEVARA - A. with the 1960s. Revolutionary Life, by the US.

3 Journalist and writer, Jon Lee Che GUEVARA undoubtedly has a Anderson, is a well researched and an romantic and cultural appeal to many enjoyable biography. So is Ernesto young people who associate with his GUEVARA tambien conocido como El image as a "rebel". Che (Ernesto GUEVARA also know as El 1. Che) by the Mexican writer, Paco advocated by the central figures Ignacio Taibo (available only in involved. This pamphlet is a Spanish). contribution to a discussion on the experiences, ideas and methods of Despite the extensive research and STRUGGLE which developed during the investigation such authors have revolution in which Che played a undertaken, their work inevitably principal role. lacks one thing. They do not draw a political balance sheet of the lessons Consequently this pamphlet does not of Che's contribution to the aspire to be a full personal biography revolutionary movement which can of Che's life. Many aspects of his life, assist the STRUGGLE against capitalism including his two marriages, are not and imperialism today.

4 Such authors, covered although such personal although making a valuable questions are important features in the contribution in recording history, formation of any character and had a cannot achieve this task. The reason is bearing on his political evolution. simple enough. They are not active Neither has it been possible to give a participants in the STRUGGLE to full account of all the historical events overthrow capitalism and begin the which took place and in which Che task of building socialism. participated. Readers will need to study other biographies and works on The CWI has produced this pamphlet Cuba, Che and the Cuban Revolution on Che and the 1959 Cuban in order get such information. Revolution in order to assist in the task of building an international On the thirtieth anniversary of his revolutionary socialist organisation death it is right to recall the heroic and which will be able to defeat capitalism self-sacrificing STRUGGLE which Che and imperialism.

5 History never repeats conducted in opposition to capitalism itself in exactly the same way. and imperialism. However, there are important lessons from previous struggles and He was a bitter opponent of capitalist revolutions which must be drawn by exploitation and fought against it. He those fighting for socialism today if was drawn towards socialism largely we are to be successful. as the result of his own experiences and was motivated by a desire to see It is for this reason that this pamphlet its victory internationally. Initially he has been published at this time. The looked to the USSR and Eastern Cuban revolution, in particular the Europe as alternative socialist contribution to it made by Che societies. This he did from "a GUEVARA , has many lessons for the distance". Later his first hand STRUGGLE against exploitation which is experience of those bureaucratic taking place today, especially in Latin regimes which ruled in the name of America, Africa, Asia and the Middle socialism repelled him.

6 East. Committed to the life of a In order to make such a balance sheet revolutionary by his mid-twenties, the it is necessary not only to follow the STRUGGLE for the international historical events which took place but revolution would cost him his life at to discuss the ideas and methods the age of 39. He led by example and 2. was an incorruptible internationalist. Confronted by the difficulties of the Because of these qualities he situation in Cuba and the horrors he continues to be a source of inspiration witnessed as a result of his visits as a SYMBOL of STRUGGLE against behind the 'iron curtain' to the USSR. oppression and exploitation. and Eastern Europe, he seemed to be searching for an alternative and began At the same time his ideas were not to explore other ideas. He started to fully rounded-out from the point of read some writings of Leon Trotsky a view of a full understanding of few years prior to his death.

7 We can Marxism. It was his ideas on only speculatively pose the question: guerrillaism which had a decisive if he had continued his studies of bearing on the Cuban revolution and Trotsky's ideas would he have events which followed, especially in embraced them? Latin America. His defence of these ideas as a method of STRUGGLE to be In 1964 he was in Moscow to attend adopted throughout Latin America put the celebrations for the 47th them at the centre of a debate in the anniversary of the Russian Revolution. revolutionary socialist movement During this visit he not only protested throughout that continent and beyond. about the lifestyle of the Russian These ideas of Che are discussed in officials but argued that economically this pamphlet as they have many "..the soviets are in an economic important lessons for today's STRUGGLE dead-end, dominated by bureaucracy". against capitalism and imperialism. The bureaucratic caste in China at this Che also developed other ideas time was adopting a more "radical relating to the economy and also what face" internationally in an effort to win he called "socialism and the new man" support after the rupture which had which centred on how people's attitude taken place between it and the USSR.

8 Towards society could be developed bureaucracy. This had occurred as a after the overthrow of capitalism. result of a clash of narrow national These works reflect some of the issues interests between the two regimes. he had to deal with after the revolution had taken place in 1959. Because of Che was attracted towards the Chinese limitations of space it has not been bureaucracy as a result of the "radical possible to discuss them in this face" it adopted during this period and pamphlet. also because of the victory of the peasant army which had taken place in A study of Che's life shows that his 1949. It appeared to confirm his own ideas developed over a lengthy period analysis. However, he also began to of time, often as the result of his own explore the ideas of Leon Trotsky. In experience. He died at the relatively Moscow he was attacked as being young age of 39. It is clear that he was "pro-Chinese" and a "Trotskyist".

9 Still developing his ideas at the time of Aware of these denunciations Che his death. In this respect a certain referred to them in a meeting in the parallel exists between Che and Cuban Embassy with Cuban students. Malcolm X and George Jackson in the The incident is recounted in Paco USA. Ignacio Taibo's biography. 3. Che commented: "..I have expressed overthrow of Batista but also opinions which could be closer to the explained the character of the new Chinese also those mixed up regime which developed and the need with Trotskyism have come up. They to look to the working class in order to say that the Chinese are fractionalists, develop the revolution throughout also the Trotskyists and me as well." Latin America. He continued: "Opinion which must be destroyed with batons is opinion Later, Peter Taaffe, in an article in which brings us an advantage. It is not Issue 390 of the British Militant possible to destroy opinions with newspaper explained the processes batons and it is precisely this that is which had unfolded in Cuba.

10 "Castro the root of is clear that and GUEVARA relied on the peasants you can get a series of things from and the rural population. The working Trotsky's thought." class only entered the STRUGGLE through the general strike in Havana when the There is no indication of what guerrillas had already triumphed and conclusions Che was drawing from Batista was fleeing for his life.". any reading of Trotsky's writings and Explaining how this rural base shaped he did not advocate ideas which would the whole character of the movement, have flowed from him embracing he continued to outline how the Trotskyism. However, he did continue revolution unfolded, ending in the to study them further. Just before his abolition of capitalism and private death in 1967 he was given some ownership of land by the big land books of Trotsky by the French owners but "because of the forces intellectual, Regis Debray, who was in involved - a predominantly peasant Bolivia, working with GUEVARA 's army" the new regime lacked forces at the time.