Cubans mark 50th anniversary of Che Guevara's death

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Several thousand Cubans gathered shortly after dawn at Che Guevara Mausoleum in Santa Clara, about 300 km east of the capital Havana. The city is where Ernesto Che Guevara won his most famous victory during the Cuban Revolution.

Many in the crowd were wearing Che T-shirts or waving cards carrying his portrait.

Images of late Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) and late Cuban revolutionary hero Ernesto Che Guevara are seen during a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of Che Guevara, Santa Clara, Cuba, October 8, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The Argentine-born medic turned Marxist revolutionary is a national hero here, the island’s adopted son. To this day, primary school children still sing at their weekly assembly chant: “We are the “Pioneers of Communism, we will be like Che.”

Local children came to repeat this at Sunday’s ceremony in front of Cuban President Raul Castro, who was one of the leading military commanders during the Cuban revolution.

A statue of guerrilla leader Ernesto Che Guevara is seen in La Higuera where he was executed, during an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death, La Higuera, Santa Cruz, Bolivia, October 8, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Before the official proceeding, Raul Castro laid a white rose at Che’s tomb which lies beneath the monument, along with 30 other guerrilla fighters who died during the Bolivian campaign.

Che Guevara grew up in Rosario, Argentina, an asthmatic child who went on to train as a doctor. On his classic motorcycle journey across Latin America, he felt indignant by the poverty he saw. So, Che came to Cuba to fight alongside its revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, as well as his brother, now President Raul Castro.

Che Guevara (C) attends a reception in an unknown location in Cuba in 1960. /AP Photo

Initially, Che joined as a medic but soon rose to become a leading guerrilla fighter, who became a hero of the Cuban revolution. Later, He tried to launch other similar guerrilla uprisings ending with his unfortunate campaign in Bolivia. Che was wounded and captured, then executed in the village of La Higuera on October 9, 1967. His body was later buried in a secret grave in the nearby town of Vallegrande.

This is a double anniversary marking both the 50th anniversary of Che Guevara’s capture and execution in Bolivia. It also marks the 20th anniversary of his body being re-discovered and flown back to Cuba and his remains were taken to Santa Clara.

Site of Che’s hidden grave in town of Vallegrande, Cuba /CGTN Photo

Cuba’s Vice President Miguel Diaz Canel gave the keynote address at Sunday’s ceremony, and referring to the deteriorating relations with the US under President Donald Trump, he quoted Che Guevara as saying that “imperialism cannot be trusted, not even a tiny bit, never.”

A second larger ceremony is due to take place in Bolivia on Monday – the actual anniversary of Che’s death. The president of Bolivia along with several other Latin American heads of state are expected to attend with Che Guevara’s children and several surviving veterans of his ill-fated campaign there.