Remembering Che Guevara on his 53rd death anniversary

Rosario, Oct 09: Che Guevara, byname of Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, (born June 14, 1928, Rosario, Argentina-died October 9, 1967, La Higuera, Bolivia), theoretician and tactician of guerrilla warfare, prominent communist figure in the Cuban Revolution (1956-59), and guerrilla leader in South America.

Born on 14 June 1928, Guevara was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader and military theorist. As a young medical student, Guevara traveled throughout South America and was radicalized by the poverty, hunger, and disease he witnessed.

His burgeoning desire to help overturn what he saw as the capitalist exploitation of Latin America solidified his socialist political ideology and later on in Mexico city, he met Raul and Fidel Castro, joined their July, 26, movement and sailed to Juba with the intention of overthrowing U.S-backed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.

An Argentine-born doctor, Ernesto "Che" Guevara came to world prominence as a senior member of Fidel Castro's revolutionary regime in Cuba. Hunted by the CIA, he was captured by the military in Bolivia on October 8, 1967, and executed the following day. His body was displayed to the press in the village of Vallegrande before being buried in secret.

Since his death, Guevara has become a legendary political figure. His name is often equated with rebellion, revolution and socialism. Others, however, remember that he could be ruthless and ordered prisoners executed without trial in Cuba.