Che's Legacy Fading in Latin America

Today's leftists pick ballots over armed rebellion
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 6, 2007 6:13 PM CDT
Che's Legacy Fading in Latin America
Cubans hold an image of Argentine-born Cuban revolutionary leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara at a May Day parade in Havana, Tuesday, May 1, 2007. Cuba marks the anniversary of "Che" Guevara's death on Oct. 8, although he was killed on Oct. 9, 1967.(AP Photo/Javier Galeano)   (Associated Press)

Che Guevara’s face still adorns T-shirts, mugs, even bikinis, but today's Latin leftists are picking modern means to his ends, Reuters reports. Recent articles are blasting the cult of Guevara while lefty leaders plug elections over armed rebellion. “Ours is 21st Century socialism," says Ecuador’s president. "We don't believe in class war or dialectical materialism."

Many Latin rebels have laid down arms of late, save Columbia’s cocaine-smuggling guerrillas. And while the 2004 film The Motorcycle Diaries dramatized Che for today's youth, it also portrayed him as a naive dreamer. The 40th anniversary of his death will be marked at a concert in Cuba, but Che's old comrade, Fidel, has not signaled any plans to attend. (More Che Guevara stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X