The Hands of Che Guevara

The Hands of Che Guevara is a topic that delves into a significant and somewhat macabre aspect of the posthumous journey of the remains of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and military theorist. After his execution in Bolivia in 1967, Che Guevara's body was displayed to the world's press, but subsequently, his remains were secretly buried. In 1997, his remains were discovered, exhumed, and returned to Cuba for reburial. However, an intriguing and somewhat grisly detail emerged: Che Guevara's hands had been severed from his body shortly after his death. This article explores the history, reasons, and implications of this act.

Background

Ernesto "Che" Guevara was captured by the Bolivian army, supported by the CIA, on October 8, 1967, and executed the following day. After his death, his body, along with those of his comrades, was displayed to the press. In an effort to prevent his burial place from becoming a shrine, the Bolivian military secretly buried him in an unmarked grave. The location of Guevara's remains became a mystery for the next three decades.

Discovery and Exhumation

In 1997, a team of Cuban and Argentine forensic experts discovered the remains of Guevara and his fellow guerrillas in a mass grave in Vallegrande, Bolivia. The discovery was significant, but it was soon revealed that Guevara's hands were missing. Historical accounts indicate that his hands were amputated by Bolivian military officers as proof of his death. The hands were preserved in formaldehyde to be sent to Buenos Aires for fingerprint identification.

The Hands as Symbol

The amputation and preservation of Che Guevara's hands turned them into a powerful symbol. For some, they represent the ultimate evidence of the brutality of military dictatorships in Latin America and the lengths to which they would go to suppress opposition. For others, Guevara's hands symbolize his enduring legacy and the continuing struggle against oppression and inequality. The hands, therefore, occupy a unique place in the iconography surrounding Che Guevara, alongside the famous photograph by Alberto Korda that has become a global emblem of rebellion.

Aftermath

The whereabouts of Che Guevara's hands after their initial examination remain a subject of speculation and controversy. There have been various reports and rumors about the hands being lost, stolen, or kept in secret locations. The mystery of the hands adds to the mythos surrounding Che Guevara, a figure who in death as in life, continues to inspire, provoke, and divide opinion across the world.

Legacy

The story of Che Guevara's hands is more than a morbid curiosity; it reflects the enduring impact of Che Guevara's life and death. It serves as a reminder of the lengths to which regimes will go to erase symbols of dissent, and how those symbols can become even more potent in their absence. The hands of Che Guevara, whether lost or hidden, remain a powerful reminder of the struggle for justice and equality.