Bolivian president pays tribute to Guevara

AP on Yahoo ^ | 6/14/06 | Carlos Valdez - ap

[NormsRevenge]

LA PAZ, Bolivia - President Evo Morales celebrated the birthday of Che Guevara Wednesday, the first time a top Bolivian leader has paid tribute to the revolutionary who was executed in the Andean nation four decades ago.

Surrounded by Cuban and Venezuelan officials, Morales observed the 78th anniversary of Guevara's birth, using the occasion to praise his close allies President Fidel Castro of Cuba and President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

Guevara, an Argentine, launched an armed revolt in 1966 to bring communism to Bolivia after helping lead the 1959 Cuban Revolution that ousted dictator Fulgencio Batista and thrust Castro into power.

He waged a guerrilla insurgency for 13 months in Bolivia but was captured and executed by the Bolivian army at age 39.

Morales flew in a helicopter loaned by Venezuela to the small town of La Higuera — the site of Guevara's execution — 480 miles southeast of La Paz.

Local children and nearby residents blew out a birthday cake with 78 candles representing how old Guevara would be if were alive.

He said in a speech that a decade ago he had a dream that there would be other Cubas in Latin America.

"I wasn't wrong," he said. "Now we do have another commander, colleague Chavez." He also praised Castro's Cuba, and he said both leader have shown they unafraid of "the empire," a reference to the United States.

Since taking office in January, Morales has forged close alliances with Cuba and Venezuela, which have flooded Bolivia — South America's poorest country — with aid.

Morales thanked Venezuela and Cuba for their aid and said he would make Castro a cake for his next birthday made of coca — the leaf from which cocaine is derived.

The coca leaf has traditional and legal uses in Bolivia although the U.S. has long backed its eradication.

[NormsRevenge]

Bolivian President Evo Morales, right, receives a traditional Bolivian dollop of cake on his nose from an unidentified Cuban doctor, left, while celebrating what would have been the 78th birthday of guerilla and leftist leader Ernesto Che Guevara in the place where he was captured and killed by Bolivian troops some 39 years ago in the vilage of La Higuera, Bolivia, Wednesday, June 14, 2006. The man at center is Guevara's son Camilo Guevara who also attended the ceremony. (AP Photo/Dado Galdieri)

[NormsRevenge]

Che's anniversary : A woman looks at painting on a wall of Latin American legendary revolutionary figure, Argentine-born Ernesto "Che" Guevara, during a commemoration ceremony for the 78th anniversary of his birth, in the Bolivian town of La Higuera. (AFP/Aizar Raldes)

[Torie]

Bolivia does not have a lot going for it. Feel its pain.

[NormsRevenge]

Photographers take pictures as two men posing with a Venezuelan flag next to a statue of Argentine revolutionary hero Ernesto 'Che' Guevara prior to a ceremony to celebrate his birth in the Southeastern Bolivian town of La Higuera, June 14, 2006, where Guevara was captured and killed in 1967. REUTERS/Carlos Hugo Vaca (BOLIVIA)

[Dick Vomer]

Yeah... they should have a burgening economic garbage dump that Cuba has become...

How stupid are these poor misguided dimwits?

This is why our country is lucky to have talk radio, the internet and Fox News.. the propaganda war is waged in 3rd world countries as "conventional wisdom".

If we're lucky some Al-quida wannabe will get into the backwoods of these countries and we'll get to dig chavez, and morales the asshat out of their spider holes...

[Paleo Conservative]

[NormsRevenge]

lolol

[DemforBush]

I wonder if they blew out any candles in honor of all the innocent people Che tortured, maimed, and killed?

I'm guessing not. /stating the obvious

[NormsRevenge]