Latin America
Public forum to mark the 79th anniversary of Che Guevara's birthday
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The room vibrated with energy as around 100 people came out to the Chilean Housing Co-op on June 15th to celebrate the 79th anniversary of the revolutionary Che Guevara’s birthday. The event was organized by the newly formed Solidarity Coalition for a United Latin America (SCULA) and endorsed by Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC). The evening featured the first Cuban documentary ever made on Che entitled “Che, Love, Politics, Rebelry.”
Co-Mc’d by Esteban Gonzalez and Gladys Uribe of the Solidarity Coalition for a United Latin America (SCULA), Esteban and Gladys introduced the evening, welcoming everyone and noting the importance of Che Guevara’s life in the struggle for social justice and humanity both for the people of Latin America, and the world.
Esteban introduced the movie about Che Guevara. The movie was an overview of Che Guevara’s life from a young upper-middle-class medical student in Argentina, to his death fighting in the jungles of Bolivia . The movie had clips of interviews with Fidel Castro, who described the young man whose heart wrenched with anger at the sight of injustice being committed to his fellow human beings as a result of imperialism, and how Che decided to fight in the Cuban revolution, and then fought in the Congo, and in Bolivia for the liberation of people in those countries. As well the movie described the role Guevara played within the Cuban Government and his leadership and legacy in Cuba. The movie ended with one of his last letters where he described that even though he expected his death was immanent, that his children needed to continue the struggle for justice and humanity and the fight for a better tomorrow.
The movie was followed by Tamara Hansen, coordinator of Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba with Jose Angel of SCULA translating. Tamara speaking Che Guevara’s legacy and the role of young people, describing how because of the position of youth as under attack in society, they play a driving force in history as bearers of change. Tamara quoted Che Guevara, saying that as revolutionaries “We are realists…We dream the impossible” because the injustice committed around the world by imperialist nations must end, and though it is difficult, it is possible to win. She finished by saying that although Ernesto Che Guevara has been dead for many decades his ideas and objectives will live on in our hearts and in our minds until the ordinary people of this world finally are victorious.
Marysol Torres, from the International Bolivarian Circle Bob Everton, spoke next, explaining the achievements gained as a result of the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, the country she is from. She explained the various ways that the people of Venezuela are following the legacy of Che Guevara and moving forward towards true social justice, to put every person in Latin America in a stronger position to fight for progressive change.
The floor became open for discussion where many people discussed how Che and his ideas are important to the current struggle against the new era of war and occupation and the fight for justice and humanity in Latin America and the rest of the World.
Wrapping up the discussion, the crowd shouted “Viva Cuba! Viva Guevara!” with a loud round of cheering, which was followed by a delicious cake commemorating Che Guevara’s birthday and everyone present participated in blowing out the candles! It was a very moving evening and Che’s legacy could be seen reflected in the faces of all those who participated in this tribute to a very important revolutionary.
