Bolivian president pays tribute to Guevara
By CARLOS VALDEZ, Associated Press WriterWed Jun 14, 10:24 PM ET
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.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060615/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/bolivia_che_guevara_1
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