Film, Politics, and Social Commentary

From WolfWikis

Ernesto "Che" Guevara and his Motorcycle Diaries

"His life was the personification of revolutionary idealism and practice, and his heroic struggle continues to be an inspiration to those who fight against social injustice and oppression throughout the Third World"' [2].

"Che's Motorcycle Diaries are quite different. These lucid and brief accounts written while he was traveling around South America bring us into intimate contact with him at an important and formative period in his life. They allow us to hear his thoughts, view the world through his eyes, and sense his spirit. In a way they allow us to travel back in time to meet the man before he became a revolutionary"-- Richard Harris [3].

"Grow up as good revolutionaries. Study hard so that you will have command of the techniques that permit the domination of nature. Remember that the Revolution is what is most important, and that each one of us, alone, is nothing. Above all, always remain capable of feeling deeply whatever injustice is committed against anyone in any part of the world. This is the finest quality of a revolutionary." --Che Guevara, 1966, a letter to his children [2].

The Motorcycle Diaries

Ernesto "Che" Guevara dedicated his adult life to the betterment of social justice, equality, and people of South America. He is known as one of the most influential revolutionaries in the twentieth century, especially in Latin America. The Revolution was Che's only dream that he fought for. However, this dream was not easy to come by. In his young adult life Ernesto Guevara went to school to be a doctor, specializing in leprosy. Before turning 24, Guevara travelled across the distance of South America on a motorcycle and foot with his good friend, Alberto Granado. It was on this journey that Guevara realized the struggles and hardships of the people of South America and caused him to be the great revolutionist that he was. "To understand Che Guevara and his practices, one must first understand what led him to his beliefs. Richard Harris states, "his motorcycle diaries shed light on a little-known period in his young adulthood and offer important insights of his personality and the development of his views about the world" [3].

This part of Che Guevara's life is what the film, Diarios de Motocicleta, really touch on. Director Walter Sallés takes the audience through Guevara's trip across South America. His good friend, Alberto Granado, and Guevara travelled together on motorcycle, at least at first. After numberous accidents and repairs on "The Mighty One," their motorcycle, they continued their adventures on foot. Travelling through Argentina, Chile, Peru, Columbia, and Venezuela, it was during these times that Guevara first realized the struggles of the indigenous people. "As we left Chuquicamata we could feel the world changing, or was it us? The deeper we go into the Andes, the more indigenous people we encounter who are homeless in their own land" [5].

After entering Perú they met up with Dr. Hugo Pesce, who was in charge of Perú's Leprosy program. Dr. Pesce provided Guevara and Granado with several books written by revolutionaries that helped fuel Guevara's fire. In the film, Guevara says when referring to a revolustionist, Mariátegui, "He says the problem of the Indian is the problem of the land, and that the revolution should not be an imitation. It should be original and indigenous" [5]. They then travelled to the Leprosy center in San Pablo on the Amazon. At this site is where the audience fully begins to see the changes in Guevara's demeanor. One is able to see how much he cares for the people and also how much he wants to help all of those who haven't been given the justice they deserve. After staying there for some time, Guevara returns home to Buenas Aires shortly. In the movie he reflects on their trip together, "Wandering around our America, has changed me more than I thought. I am not me anymore, at least I am not the same me I was" [5]. The story of Alberto Granado and Ernesto Guevara's trip across South America sparked one of the most influential Revolutionaries in Latin America.

Che Guevara as a Revolutionist

"Che was dedicated to living his life in accordance with his concept of the new man. For Che, this type of human being would arise out of the revolutionary struggle to liberate humanity from the egoistic individualism, exploitation, and social alientation of capitalism" states Richard Harris of Che's number one belief. He continues by saying "Che felt that the struggle against capitalism and the construction of a new socialist society required a new type of human being who would be willing to make personal sacrifices for the good of others" [3]. We still see Guevara's inital caring and sympathetic view towards others that was first provoked in his travels across South America. Bjorn Kumm writes, "He was no desk-bound revolutionary, plotting world-wide revolutions from a safe air-conditioned office in the Caribbean. He put his own life at stake. Once he gambled and won. Once he gambled and lost" [4].

Che also believed in Guerilla Warfare, or his foco theory. Che Guevara played a large role in the Cuban Revolution, helping Fidel Castro overthrow Bautista, and the emergence of guerilla warfare in Cuba. The Foco theory emerged in the 1960s and evolved throughout the decade. This theory was a very influential aspect of all Latin American revolution "...nearly every Latin American guerilla movement of the 1960s adopted Guevara's theory" [1] states Matt D. Childs in his critique of the foco theory. The theory refers to the geurilla warfare that lower classes and indigenous people fought in to secure social justice and equality. However, the foco theory also helps explain Guevara's downfall and disaster in Bolivia which led to his death. After moving his plan into Bolivia, and helping the Bolivian guerilla army fight, he was shortly captured and killed. It is suspected that United States intervention with the C.I.A played a critical role in Guevara's death. "It turned out he had not exactly fallen in battle- he was rather executed, in cold blood- presumably on orders of U.S. Defense Department and the ubiquitous CIA" [4].

Guevara was respected and influential throughout Latin America. Written shortly after his death by Nicolás Guillén, a poem dedicated to Guevara's life and revolutionary dedication. He writes,

"¡Salud, Guevara!

o mejor todavia desde el hondón americano

Esperamos. Partiremos contigo. Queremos

morir para vivir como tú has muerto,

para vivir como tú vives,

Che Comandante,

amigo." [2].

What seems to be a mutual feeling among all those who admired and were inspired by the theories of Che Guevara.

Resources

1. Childs, Matt D.. "An Historical Critique of the Emergence and Evolution of Ernesto Che Guevara's Foco Theory." Journal of Latin American Studies (1995): 593-624.

2. Guillen, Nicolas. "In Memoriam and Struggle." Latin American Perspectives (1987): 419-421.

3. Harris, Richard. "Reflections on Che Guevara's Legacy ." Latin American Perspectives (1998): 19-32.

4. Kumm, Bjorn. "Guevara is Dead, Long Live Guevara." Transition (1997): 30-38.

5. The Motorcycle Diaries Dir. Walter Sallés. Perfs. Gael García Bernal, Rodrigo de la Serna. DVD. Focus Features, 2004.