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| Cuba pays tribute to Che Guevara | Cuba pays tribute to Che Guevara |
| (2 days later) | |
| The memory of Latin American Marxist revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara is being honoured in Cuba 40 years after his capture and summary execution. | The memory of Latin American Marxist revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara is being honoured in Cuba 40 years after his capture and summary execution. |
| About 10,000 people attended a ceremony at his mausoleum in Santa Clara, the town where he once fought a battle during Cuba's revolution. | About 10,000 people attended a ceremony at his mausoleum in Santa Clara, the town where he once fought a battle during Cuba's revolution. |
| Raul Castro, brother of ailing Cuban leader Fidel, was at the event. | Raul Castro, brother of ailing Cuban leader Fidel, was at the event. |
| Other commemorations are being held in Bolivia and Venezuela, countries where Argentine-born Che Guevara was active. | |
| His heroic struggle and that of other revolutionaries will continue until savage capitalism is changed Evo MoralesBolivian president In pictures: Cuba remembers Che: Image and icon More of your Che pictures | His heroic struggle and that of other revolutionaries will continue until savage capitalism is changed Evo MoralesBolivian president In pictures: Cuba remembers Che: Image and icon More of your Che pictures |
| He had travelled to Bolivia to help lead an uprising but was tracked down and killed by soldiers in 1967. | He had travelled to Bolivia to help lead an uprising but was tracked down and killed by soldiers in 1967. |
| Che's ideas and looks have been captivating young people across the world since the late 1960s, his bearded face and beret acquiring iconic status. | Che's ideas and looks have been captivating young people across the world since the late 1960s, his bearded face and beret acquiring iconic status. |
| His critics describe Che as a brutal man who ordered the execution of dozens of his opponents and helped move Cuba further towards communism in the early years of the revolution. | His critics describe Che as a brutal man who ordered the execution of dozens of his opponents and helped move Cuba further towards communism in the early years of the revolution. |
| 'Infinite revolutionary' | 'Infinite revolutionary' |
| The ceremony in Santa Clara opened with Raul Castro reading out a message from Fidel. | The ceremony in Santa Clara opened with Raul Castro reading out a message from Fidel. |
| A ceremony was held at the scene of Che's death in Bolivia | A ceremony was held at the scene of Che's death in Bolivia |
| "I halt in my day-to-day combat to bow my head, with respect and gratitude, before the exceptional fighter who fell 40 years ago," the message said. | "I halt in my day-to-day combat to bow my head, with respect and gratitude, before the exceptional fighter who fell 40 years ago," the message said. |
| Suffering from intestinal illness, the 81-year-old Cuban leader handed over power to Raul 14 months ago. | Suffering from intestinal illness, the 81-year-old Cuban leader handed over power to Raul 14 months ago. |
| Che's daughter Aleida Guevara said her father's work had been vindicated by the recent leftward shift in Latin America. | Che's daughter Aleida Guevara said her father's work had been vindicated by the recent leftward shift in Latin America. |
| "Today Latin America begins to awaken and their dreams are coming true," she said in the mausoleum. | "Today Latin America begins to awaken and their dreams are coming true," she said in the mausoleum. |
| In Bolivia, the leftist President, Evo Morales, visited the site where Che was first buried after his execution, and addressed a crowd of mourners on a windswept hill just outside Vallegrande. | In Bolivia, the leftist President, Evo Morales, visited the site where Che was first buried after his execution, and addressed a crowd of mourners on a windswept hill just outside Vallegrande. |
| "Che lives," he said. | "Che lives," he said. |
| "His heroic struggle and that of other revolutionaries will continue until savage capitalism is changed. | "His heroic struggle and that of other revolutionaries will continue until savage capitalism is changed. |
| "Latin America cannot continue being the backyard of American imperialism." | "Latin America cannot continue being the backyard of American imperialism." |
| In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez described Che as an "infinite revolutionary" in a speech on TV just before the anniversary. | In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez described Che as an "infinite revolutionary" in a speech on TV just before the anniversary. |