1967
Che Guevara is executed

On this day in 1967, socialist revolutionary and guerilla leader Che Guevara, age 39, is killed by the Bolivian army. The U.S.-military-backed Bolivian forces captured Guevara on October 8 while battling his band of guerillas in Bolivia and assassinated him the following day. His hands were cut off … strange how the fascist mind-set is one of such spiteful vindictiveness is fed and strengthened by added layers of cruelty. For example, when Franco’s Nationalists had achieved victory in the Spanish Civil War in 1939, winning was not enough. Rather than seek to put the nation on a path to reconciliation and social peace, Franco chose to execute over 100,000 people the fascists had loosely identified as supporters of the Republic. Che Guevara’s many critics will make similar points regarding Che’s orders to execute many right wing Cubans in the immediate post-revolution period. There is no argument for murder; but in the wider terms of history,  we choose the less morally reprehensible movements as steps forward. Fascism has no redeeming features, as Donald Trump continues to remind us. Che’s status as a revolutionary icon and hero remains untarnished, despite everything.