Time to bury Che Guevara for good
The left needs a more democratic icon
ON OCTOBER 9th 1967 the Bolivian army, with the CIA in attendance, shot Ernesto “Che” Guevara in cold blood, on the orders of Bolivia’s president. Thus ended his short-lived attempt to ignite a guerrilla war in the heart of the Andes. Fifty years on, Bolivia’s current president, Evo Morales, and several thousand activists assembled there this week to honour Guevara’s memory.
In death Che, with his flowing hair and beret, has become one of the world’s favourite revolutionary icons. His fans span the globe. Youthful rebels wear T-shirts emblazoned with his image. Ireland this month issued a commemorative stamp. But it is in Latin America where his influence has been greatest, and where his legacy—for the left in particular—has been most damaging.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline "Time to bury Che Guevara for good"
More from The Americas
Why Mexico’s largest-ever election matters
The results will determine the political environment in which Mexico’s next president operates
Huge floods in Brazil’s south are a harbinger of disasters to come
Climate change is making weather events more extreme in the region
Luis Abinader is poised for a thumping re-election win
Voters rate the management of economy and his fight against corruption