Bolivians mark Che Guevara’s 50th death anniversary

Che Guevara’s family members including his brothers, children and grandchildren, as well as President of Bolivia Evo Morales,his deputy Alvaro Garcia Linera and Vice-President of Cuba Ramiro Valdes took part in the memorial ceremony in the La Higuera village, Santa Cruz, on Monday.
 
An estimated 2,000 people attended the commemorations, which were led by Morales. 
 
The Bolivian president said at the event, “El Che fought and died for the liberation of Bolivia and thinking of the liberation of the great homeland,” using the socialist term for Latin America.
 
    “The best way to pay tribute to Che is to continue his struggle, an anti-imperialist struggle,” the socialist president added.
 
He also slammed the US for putting pressure on the nations that stand against imperialism and said “the empire continues to strike at the countries that have policies contrary to their interests.”
 
“Brother (Nicolas) Maduro is not alone,” he said, referring to the Venezuelan president whose administration has been the target of US pressure and economic sanctions amid a political crisis gripping the country.
 
The Cuban vice president also addressed the crowed, saying, “The Bolivian people share his reality, dream, goals and aspirations of emancipation which will mark history forever,” Valdes said in his address to the participants.
 
Che Guevara was killed 50 years ago by by CIA-trained Bolivian troops in La Higuera on October 9, 1967, at the age of 39.
 
Following his death, the Argentine, who was a key figure among Cuban revolutionaries, became an international symbol for revolution and left-wing ideals.
 
On Sunday, a special ceremony was held in the Cuban capital, Havana, and several other Latin American capitals to honor the memory of a man who is an icon of anti-imperialism to many across the world.
 
In Cuba, a huge mass took to the streets on Sunday to commemorate the 50th death anniversary of thr Latin American revolutionary. Officials put the number of participants at around 70,000.
 
Cuban President Raul Castro, who was present at a mass rally at the Che Guevara Mausoleum in the town of Santa Clara, paid tribute to the guerrilla fighter that helped overthrow Cuba’s dictatorship and bring his late brother Fidel to power.
 
“Che Guevara is not dead … His persona grows larger as time goes by and younger generations recognize his revolutionary paradigm,” Cuban First Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel said at the memorial. He is now a “universal symbol” and inspiration in the struggle for the liberation of different nations “oppressed by imperialism,” he added.
 
Several movies have been made about the physician who turned into a full-fledged Marxist revolutionary.