Ernesto “Che” Guevara (1928-1967) was a former medical student from Argentina who dedicated his life to fighting in revolutionary wars in Latin America and Africa.
He was Fidel Castro’s chief lieutenant in the Cuban revolution (1956-1959) and minister of industry afterward (1961-1965).
An expert in guerrilla warfare, he left Cuba so he could carry on the struggle in other oppressed nations. He was executed in Bolivia and was revered as a hero and martyr throughout the Third World.
The Third World is a name for the impoverished former colonies of Europe in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
His portrait, with beret and scruffy beard, inspired left-wing protesters even in the United States.
