CHE MEMORIAL

During the latter part of the Cuban Revolution, Che' Guevara, with little over 300 men under his command, liberated the city of Santa Clara. This was a pivotal point in the revolution as it left the path clear for the rebel army to march upon Havana and hastened the departure of the dictator Fulgencio Baptista who fled the country soon after, taking refuge in Franco's fascist Spain. The people of Santa Clara have never forgotten their liberator and the city is a fitting location for his final resting place. The Che' Guevara memorial is everything it should be, striking and imposing yet dignified and respectful. The large statue that stands atop the memorial complex is a symbol of his connection to Santa Clara. It gazes towards the mountains from which he and his brave guerilla fighters approached the city and wears a sling just as Che's had on that day to cradle his broken arm. The statue is cast from bronze many of which came from objects personally donated by the citizens of the city to be melted down and included in the formation of the statue.

Below the statue a complex houses a museum dedicated to Che' and also his mausoleum. The museum is filled with many of Che's personal belongings and photographs less well known than Alberto Korda's iconic picture. It allows an insight into the man who became a legend. When entering the mausoleum the reverential atmosphere is striking. The room is filled with green vegetation, decorated with a smooth stone floor and intricate wood panelling in the ceiling which is somewhat lower than would be expected. All of these ingredients combine to create the serene enclosed atmosphere of a jungle. The memorial is not just the final resting place of Che' but also for the brave guerillas that died with him in the jungles of Bolivia. Their faces are carved on stone markers behind which those whose remains have been recovered are interred. Che's marker stand forward from the wall in front of his comrades, symbolically leading his men even after death.

As a socialist it isn't really the done thing to have heroes. However I find it difficult to think of any other way to describe how I feel about Che' Guevara. The visit to his memorial was one of the most profound and emotional experiences of my life and is the closest thing to a religious experience that I am ever likely to encounter. Che' remains a symbol of defiance for millions around the world and as long as there are people willing to fight against poverty, tyranny and inequality then the spirit of Che' Guevara will live on, hasta victoria siempre!

David McClemont