10. The Upper Base was situated at the geographic point known as Luluabourg. This and the so-called Lake Base at Kibamba are two important places in this narrative and are frequently mentioned in the text. In many places reference is made to either one simply as “the Base.” For that reason, in those cases where this was considered necessary to avoid ambiguity, which base is being referred to is specified in brackets.
11. The correct spelling of this settlement is Yungu.
12. Today Kisangani.
13. The Supreme Council of the Congolese Revolution (CSRC) was formed at a conference of the National Liberation Council (CNL) held in Cairo between the beginning of April and the end of May in 1965 with the participation of the progressive African countries. The Supreme Council, whose founding is commemorated on May 27, had 15 members and three military zones. The president was Soumialot and the two vice-presidents were Mulele and Kabila. As part of this process of restructuring of the revolutionary movement, Gbenyé was named president of the revolutionary government, a position from which he was removed by Soumialot on August 5, 1965—an event Che mentions in this book—and Abdoulaye Yerodia Ndombasi was named president of the executive committee, charged with maintaining the revolutionary direction of the movement.
14. This place has not been found. From the information given about its location, it might be a place known as Kalamba.
15. Also appears as Kozolelo-Makungu.
16. The correct spelling of this river is Kiyimbi.
17. The correct spelling is mganga.
18. In various sources that have been consulted, he is referred to as Mundandi or Mudandi with no differentiation between the two, and he is described as belonging to the Tutsi ethnic group. Che used the first variant, Mundandi, which is how his name appears in this book.
19. This organization was founded on October 3, 1963, in Brazzaville, capital for the former French Congo, with the goal of creating a politico-military coordinating body of parties opposed to the Leopoldville government after President Kasavubu decreed the definitive dissolution of the parliament on September 30, 1963. Defining itself as following Lumumba’s ideas and among its objectives, according to its declaration, the CNL was the creation of a “revolutionary nationalist people’s government” as well as the destruction of “the imperialist enterprise of the United States so as to be able to follow the road of freedom and democracy.” Its purpose was to lead actions to “overthrow the Adoula government and carry out the complete and effective decolonization of the Congo, which is dominated by the coalition of foreign powers.” The Congolese National Movement—Lumumba and the Party of African Solidarity—converged in the CNL, along with other, smaller groups.
20. Appears as both Nabikumo and Nabikume without any differentiation.
21. The original manuscript refers to “Njanga,” but this could be a typographical error, and the place being referred to is the one called Nganja. In various sources it is spelled Nganya, but we have preserved Che’s spelling.
22. Oscar Fernández Padilla, at the time Cuba’s deputy minister of the interior. He replaced Pablo Rivalta as head of the support group when he took over as head of the intelligence team of the Cuban embassy in Tanzania. He arrived in Dar es-Salaam on September 7, 1965, along with five Cuban communications specialists and their radio equipment.
APPENDIX 2
List of the Cuban Combatants in the Congo
The military ranks listed are those held by the combatants at the time they left for the Congo. During their time in the Congo, all of these Cubans were considered to be the same rank, that is, simply soldiers or combatants.
1.Abdala: Soldier, Luciano Paul González
2.Abdallah: Sergeant, Alipio del Sol Leal
3.Achali: Alcibíades Calderón Rodríguez
4.Adabu: Soldier, Dioscórides Romero Delgado
5.Afendi: Soldier, Roberto Rodríguez Moniel
6.Aga: Soldier, Eduardo Castillo Lora
7.Agano: Sergeant, Arquímedes Martínez Sauquet
8.Aguir: Soldier, Esmérido Parada Zamora
9.Ahili: Soldier, Dioscórides Mariño Castillo
10.Ahiri: Soldier, José Antonio Aguiar García
11.Aja: Soldier, Andrés A. Arteaga Martínez
12.Ajili: Soldier, Sandalio Lemus Báez
13.Akika: Sergeant, Herminio Betancourt Rodríguez
14.Akiki: Soldier, Roger Pimentel Ríos
15.Alakre: Soldier, Sinecio Prado Ferrera
16.Alau: Soldier, Lorenzo Espinosa García
17.Almari: Sergeant, Argelio Zamora Torriente
18.Aly: Captain Santiago Terry Rodríguez
19.Amba: Soldier, Luis Díaz Primero
20.Ami: Soldier, Ezequiel Jiménez Delgado
21.Amia: Soldier, José L. Torres Salazar
22.Ananane: Soldier, Mario Thompson Vega
23.Anasa: Gonzalo Sanabria Cárdenas
24.Anaza: Víctor Manuel Salas Semanat
25.Andika: Soldier, Vicente Yant Celestien
26.Anga: Soldier, Juan F. Aguilera Madrigal
27.Angalia: Soldier, Luis Monteagudo Arteaga
28.Ansa: Soldier, Moisés Delisle Mayet
29.Ansama: Corporal Arnaldo Domínguez Reyes
30.Ansurune: Captain Crisógenes Vinajera Hernández (Died at Front de Force, June 29, 1965.)
31.Anzali: Corporal Octavio Rojas Garniel
32.Arasili: Soldier, Virgilio Jiménez Rojas
33.Arobaini: Soldier, Salvador J. Escudero Pérez
34.Arobo: Soldier, Mariano García Rodríguez
35.Au: Soldier, Andrés J. Jardines Jardines
36.Awirino: Soldier, Francisco Semanat Carrión (Disappeared in the Congo.)
37.Azi: Lieutenant Israel Reyes Zayas
38.Azima: First Lieutenant Ramón Armas Fonseca
39.Badala: Corporal Bernardo Amelo Planas
40.Bahasa: Soldier, Orlando Puente Mayeta (Died in the Congo, October 26, 1965.)
41.Bahati: Soldier, Melanio Miranda López
42.Barafu: Soldier, Ismael Monteagudo Rojas
43.Changa: Captain Roberto Sánchez Barthelemí
44.Changa: Soldier, Domingo Pérez Mejías
45.Chapua: Soldier, Roberto Pérez Calzado (One of the combatants who became lost during the withdrawal and was later rescued.)
46.Chegue: Soldier, Tomás Rodríguez Fernández
47.Chembeu: Soldier, Eddy Espinosa Duarte
48.Chen (also appears as Chei and Chail): Soldier, Virgilio Montoya Muñoz
49.Chiba: Félix Hernández Elías
50.Chumi: Dr. Raúl Candevat Candevat
51.Chungu: Soldier, Luis Hechevarría Cintra
52.Danhusi: Soldier, Nicolás Savón Sayús
53.Doma: Sergeant, Arcadio Hernández Betancourt
54.Duala: Corporal Dionisio Madera Romero
55.Dufu: Sergeant, Armando A. Martínez Ferrer
56.Dukuduku: Soldier, Santos Duquesne García
57.Faada: Soldier, Antonio Pérez Sánchez
58.Falka: Soldier, Fernando Aldama Asmaris
59.Fara: Dr. Gregorio Herrera Guerra
60.Fizi: Dr. Diego Lagomosino Comesaña
61.Hamsini: Soldier, Constantino Pérez Méndez
62.Hanesa: Soldier, Osvaldo Izquierdo Estrinio
63.Hatari: Corporal Adalberto Fernández González
64.Hindi: Dr. Héctor Vera Acosta
65.Hukumu: Soldier, Rodovaldo Gundín Rodríguez
66.Ishirini: Soldier, Martín Chivás González
67.Isilay: Soldier, Elio H. Portuondo Turca
68.Israel: Sergeant, Carlos Caña Wilson
69.Kahama: Sergeant, Alberto Man Sullivan
70.Karatasi: Soldier, Arsenio Puentes González
71.Karim: Lieutenant José Antonio Palacio Ferrer
72.Kasambala: Corporal Roberto Chaveco Núñez
73.Kasulu: Dr. Adrián Sansaricq Laforet (Haitian doctor who died in 1966.)
74.Kawawa: Corporal Wagner Moro Pérez (Died at Front de
Force, June 29, 1965.)
75.Kigulo: Soldier, Noelio Revé Robles
76.Kimbi: Anaesthetist Domingo Oliva
77.Kisua: Lieutenant Erasmo Videaux Robles
78.Kukula: Soldier, Augusto Ramírez Fortesa
79.Kumi: Dr. Rafael Zerquera Palacio
80.Maffu: Lieutenant Catalino Olachea de la Torre
81.Maganga: Sergeant, Ramón Muñoz Caballero
82.Maongeso: Soldier, Germán Ramírez Carrión
83.Marembo: Soldier, Isidro Peralta Sano
84.Masivizano: Soldier, Casiano Pons González
85.Mbili: Official José María Martínez Tamayo (Used the nom de guerre Papi in Bolivia with Che.)
86.Milton: Soldier, Jesús Álvarez Morejón
87.Moja: Commander Víctor Emilio Dreke Cruz
88.Morogoro: Dr. Octavio de la Concepción de la Predaja
89.Mustafa: Soldier, Conrado Morejón Ferrán
90.Nafimi: Rogelio de la Cruz Lafargues
91.Nane: Sergeant, Eduardo Torres Ferrer
92.Ngenje: Sergeant, Marcos A. Herrera Garrido
93.Nne: First Lieutenant Norberto Pío Pichardo (Died at Front de Force, June 29, 1965.)
94.Nyenyea: Soldier, Luis Calzado Hernández (One of the combatants who became lost during the withdrawal and was later rescued.)
95.Ottu: Corporal Santiago Parada Faurez
96.Paulu: Soldier, Emilio Mena Díaz
97.Pilau: Soldier, Daniel Cruz Hernández
98.Pombo: First Lieutenant Harry Villegas Tamayo (Fought with Che in Bolivia and was one of the three Cuban survivors of that mission.)
99.Rabanini: Soldier, Lucio Sánchez Rivero
100.Raúl: Soldier, Florentino Nogas Lescaille
101.Rebokate: Lieutenant Mario Armas Fonseca
102.Saba: Soldier, Pedro O. Ortiz Montalvo
103.Safi: Soldier, Vladimir Rubio Barreto
104.Sakumu: Soldier, Florentino Limendú Zulueta
105.Samani: Soldier, Wilfredo de Armas Álvarez
106.Samuel: Soldier, Fidencio Semanat Romero
107.Shellk: Soldier, Raumide Despaigne Isaac
108.Siki: Commander Oscar Fernández Mell
109.Singida: Sergeant, Manuel Savigne Medina
110.Sita: Soldier, Pablo B. Ortiz Montalvo
111.Sitaini: Soldier, Ángel Hernández Angulo (Withdrew due to ill health.)
112.Sitini-Natato: Sergeant, Giraldo Padilla Kindelán
113.Siwa: Lieutenant Víctor Schueg Colás
114.Suleman: Soldier, Cecilio Francisco Acea Torriente (One of the combatants who became lost during the withdrawal and was later rescued.)
115.Sultán: Soldier, Rafael Vaillant Osmil
116.Tamusini: Soldier, Domingo Pie Fiz
117.Tano: Soldier, Aldo García González
118.Tatu: Commander Ernesto Che Guevara de la Serna
119.Tembo: Captain Emilio Aragonés Navarro
120.Thelathini: Sergeant, Víctor M. Valle Ballester (Died at Front de Force, June 29, 1965.)
121.Tisa: Sergeant, Julián Morejón Gilbert
122.Tom: Soldier, Rafael Hernández Bustamante (Political commissar before Karim arrived.)
123.Tulio: Soldier, Tomás A. Escandón Carvajal
124.Tumaini: Sergeant, Carlos Coello (Died in Bolivia, 1967.)
125.Tumba (Mauro): Lieutenant Justo Rumbaut Hidalgo
126.Uta: Captain Aldo Margolles Dueñas
127.Víctor: Sergeant, Víctor Cañas William
128.Waziri: Soldier, Golván Marín Valdivia
129.Yolivos: Francisco Castillas Martínez
CHE: A MEMOIR BY FIDEL CASTRO
Fidel Castro
In this unique political memoir, Fidel Castro writes with great candor and emotion about a historic revolutionary partnership that changed the face of Cuba and Latin America. Fidel creates a vivid portrait of Che Guevara—the man, the revolutionary, and the intellectual—revealing much about his own inimitable determination and character.
This fascinating memoir includes Fidel’s speech on the return of Che’s remains to Cuba 30 years after his assassination in Bolivia in 1967, and provides a frank assessment of the Bolivian mission.
“For me, it has always been hard to accept the idea that Che is dead. I dream of him often, that I have spoken to him, that he is alive.” —Fidel Castro
ISBN 978-1-920888-25-1 (Also in Spanish ISBN 978-1-921235-02-3)
CHE GUEVARA READER
Writings on Politics and Revolution
Edited by David Deutschmann
This bestselling anthology features the most complete selection of Che Guevara’s writings, letters, and speeches available in English. Far more than a guerrilla strategist, Che Guevara made a profound and lasting contribution to revolutionary theory and Marxist humanism, as demonstrated in this comprehensive book.
The Che Guevara Reader includes essays on the Cuban revolutionary war and guerrilla warfare, Che’s analysis of the first years of the Cuban revolution (in which he played a major role) and his vision for Latin America and the Third World.
“Che was the most complete human being of our age.” —Jean-Paul Sartre
ISBN 978-1-876175-69-6 (Also in Spanish ISBN 978-1-876175-93-1)
SELF-PORTRAIT
A Photographic and Literary Memoir
Ernesto Che Guevara
A remarkable photographic and literary memoir offering an intimate look at the man behind the icon that draws on the rich seam of diaries, letters, poems, journalism, and short stories Che Guevara left behind in Cuba.
Compiled using exclusive material from his family’s private archives, this is unique among the many books about Che Guevara revealing, for the first time, Che’s personal world—his extraordinary candor, his irony, dry wit and great passion.
“This beautiful, enlightening volume humanizes Che.” —Rain Taxi
ISBN 978-1-876175-82-5, photos throughout (Also in Spanish ISBN 978-1-876175-89-4)
LATIN AMERICA DIARIES
“Otra vez” or Once Again: The sequel to “The Motorcycle Diaries”
Ernesto Che Guevara
This sequel to The Motorcycle Diaries includes letters, poetry, and journalism that document Ernesto Guevara’s second Latin American journey following his graduation from medical school. After traveling through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Central America, Ernesto witnesses the 1954 US-inspired coup against the democratically elected Árbenz government in Guatemala. He flees to Mexico where he encounters Fidel Castro and the other Cuban revolutionaries, marking the beginning of a political partnership that profoundly changes the world and Che himself.
ISBN 978-0-9804292-7-5
Published in Spanish by Ocean Sur as Otra Vez, 978-1-920888-78-7.
THE BOLIVIAN DIARY
Ernesto Che Guevara
This is Che Guevara’s famous last diary, found in his backpack when he was captured by the Bolivian army in October 1967. It became an instant international bestseller after his death, catapulting Che to iconic status throughout the world.
Newly revised by Che’s widow (Aleida March), and including a thoughtful preface by his eldest son Camilo, this is the definitive account of the attempt to spark a continent-wide revolution in Latin America.
“Thanks to Che’s invariable habit of noting the main events of each day, we have rigorously exact, priceless, and detailed information on the heroic final months of his life in Bolivia.” —Fidel Castro
ISBN 978-1-920888-24-4 (Also in Spanish ISBN 978-1-920888-30-5)
REMINISCENCES OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR
Ernesto Che Guevara
The dramatic art and acute perception of Che Guevara’s early diaries blossom in this highly readable and entertaining account of the guerrilla movement against the Batista dictatorship that led to the 1959 Cuban revolution.
This new, thoroughly revised edition reveals how this revolutionary war transformed not just a nation struggling against appalling poverty and oppression but Che himself, who begins
as troop doctor and ends as a guerrilla commander, eventually becoming a world-famous revolutionary.
“Reflects the life of an extraordinary and important man.” —Library Journal
ISBN 978-1-920888-33-6 (Also in Spanish ISBN 978-1-920888-36-7)
THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES
Notes on a Latin American Journey
Ernesto Che Guevara
The book of the movie of the same name by Walter Salles starring Gael García Bernal.
The young Che Guevara’s lively and highly entertaining travel diary features exclusive, unpublished photos taken by the 23-year-old Ernesto on his journey across a continent, and a tender preface by Aleida Guevara, offering an insightful perspective on her father—the man and the icon.
“A journey, a number of journeys. Ernesto Guevara in search of adventure, Ernesto Guevara in search of America, Ernesto Guevara in search of Che. On this journey of journeys, solitude found solidarity, I turned into we.” —Eduardo Galeano
ISBN 978-1-876175-70-2 (Also in Spanish ISBN 978-1-920888-11-4)
e-mail
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