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Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Oct. 23, 1997
issue of Workers World newspaper
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Che's spirit lives on—so does interest in revolution

By Brenda Sandburg and Richard Becker
San Francisco

A standing-room-only crowd of more than 500 people jammed the Mission Cultural Center in San Francisco Oct. 11 to celebrate the life and legacy of the great revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. For three hours, the crowd cheered, chanted and listened intently to a program honoring Che on the 30th anniversary of his death.

Che was executed at the direction of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency on Oct. 9, 1967, while leading a guerrilla struggle in Bolivia.

Alicia Jrapko, an Argentinean activist with the U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan, opened the event with a moment of silence for Che. She then called out "Comandante Che Guevara," to which the crowd thundered, "Presente!"

The meeting was organized by the Che Commemoration Coalition, initiated by the U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan, the International Peace for Cuba Appeal, and La Peña del Sur. It was co-sponsored by the Mission Cultural Center. Many groups endorsed the event.

A reception was held at the Mission Cultural Center on Oct. 8 to open a 10-day art exhibit. Artists and activists donated more than 70 pieces of art: paintings, photographs and posters of Che.

The opening was attended by 300. They heard a program of poetry and music by Latino artists. Most of the songs and poems were written for this commemoration.

‘Tonight we will hear the truth’

Armando Ortíz, co-chair of the Oct. 11 event and member of the Caravan and La Peña del Sur, introduced keynote speaker Sergio Martínez. Martínez is the third secretary of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, Cuba’s diplomatic representation in the United States.

"It is an honor to hear from one of Cuba’s representatives," Ortíz said. "The U.S. government and media try to fill people with lies about Cuba and tonight we will hear the truth."

Martínez described Che’s importance to Cuba and the world. "Among Argentineans, the word che, according to the intonation or the context, expresses a whole shade of human passions—surprise, enthusiasm, sorrow, tenderness, approval and protest," Martínez explained. Because of "his great fondness for this word, the Cuban rebels named Ernesto Guevara, Che."

Che "left us his revolutionary thought, he left us his virtues, his character, his will, his persistence, his spirit of work. In just one word, he left us his example," Martínez said.

He said Che’s ideas, picture and name "are banners of struggle against injustice among the oppressed and exploited of all the world."

The meeting heard messages of solidarity from activists from Haiti, Mexico, Chile, El Salvador, Palestine, Argentina and the U.S.

Senan Kairia, president of the General Union of Palestinian Students at San Francisco State University, said: "I don’t think any nation could claim Che for itself. I really think Che was not only a Cuban, an Argentinean; he was a Palestinian, a Nicaraguan, a Guatemalan, an Algerian. He represented the same struggle all of us are involved in."

Max Blanchet of the Bay Area Haitian-American Council quoted former Algerian President Ahmed Ben Bella: "Che questioned our conscience. The light from his last gaze continues to reach out to our innermost soul."

Speaking to Che, Rosa Peñate of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front of El Salvador said: "They took away your life, silenced your voice, but you didn’t go away. You’ve remained with us for always, eternally. Your voice of struggle can be heard in all continents."

Honoring Che through struggle

Gloria La Riva, program co-chair and a leader in Peace for Cuba, asked, "How did Che, an Argentinean doctor, become declared a ‘Cuban by birth’ and die in Bolivia?" She answered, "It is simply because there were key experiences in Che’s life as a young man when he decided that the rest of his life would be dedicated to liberation of all the peoples, and to the revolutionary struggles against imperialism.

"Che was not born a communist. He was not born a revolutionary. He became one."

Patsy Behrend and Alicia Jrapko of the caravan read Che’s final letter to Fidel in English and Spanish. Che wrote, "I carry to new battlefronts the faith that you taught me, the revolutionary spirit of my people, the feeling of fulfilling the most sacred of duties: to fight against imperialism wherever it may be."

Malik Rahim, organizer of the Bernal Dwellings Tenants Association and a former Black Panther, commented that "Che could have lived a comfortable life, but instead he spent his life in struggle. How can we give meaning to his life? By getting involved."

Bill Paparian, former mayor of Pasadena and now a member of the Pasadena City Council, called for people to dedicate themselves to lifting the U.S. blockade against Cuba.

Among the artists performing original songs and poems were German Donatién, Mochi Parra, Juanita Reiloff, Alejandro Stuart, Heber Tosini, Ronald Rosario, Fernando Torres, Jorge Tapia, Ernesto Jiménez and Tito Arana.

María Josefa Prósperi, director of the Mission Cultural Center, said: "This was the largest event in the history of our Center. We have a great admiration for Che Guevara."

The events were fundraisers for two projects: the new memorial being constructed to Che in Santa Clara, Cuba, and the Che Guevara Pioneers’ Palace, a youth center in Havana.

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