Aleida Guevara
Encyclopedia
Aleida Guevara March is the eldest daughter of four children born to Ernesto "Che" Guevara
and his second wife, Aleida March
.
She, like her father, is a Marxist and a doctor of medicine
. She is based at the William Soler Children's Hospital in Havana
and has also worked as a physician in Angola
, Ecuador
, and Nicaragua
. She is interviewed about the philosophy behind universal health care in Michael Moore
's film Sicko
.
Guevara has been an advocate for human rights
and debt relief
for developing nations. She is the author of the book Chávez, Venezuela and the New Latin America.
, and almost 7 years old when he was executed in Bolivia
, she still has fond memories of him. One such story that she has shared publicly is that her father (Che) would make up animal stories for his faraway children, stating:
as a source of personal inspiration. While giving speeches throughout the world she often mentions his writings, while remarking that she finds his diaries particularly helpful for their "political insights and emotional maturity". She has also stated that she finds herself occasionally exclaiming: "Caramba! If only we'd put in practice this or that suggestion we would be in a better position now." In reference to her father's widespread use as a symbol of rebellion, she has stated that when she sees a child carrying his image on a march and the child says "I want to be like Che and fight until final victory", that she feels elated.
In discussing her father's legacy, Aleida has remarked that:
in Angola as leaving a lasting mark. She describes the impact of this experience with these words:
in eastern Cuba, while she has announced plans to work on the Island of Youth, which was devastated by several 2008 hurricanes. She currently has two daughters, Estefania 20 and Celia 19.
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
and his second wife, Aleida March
Aleida March
Aleida March is Ernesto "Che" Guevara's second wife, and a member of Castro's Cuban army. Her marriage with Che Guevara is reported to have happened both on 23 March 1959 and 2 June 1959. A civil ceremony was held at La Cabana Military fortress...
.
She, like her father, is a Marxist and a doctor of medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
. She is based at the William Soler Children's Hospital in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
and has also worked as a physician in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. She is interviewed about the philosophy behind universal health care in Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
's film Sicko
Sicko
Sicko is a 2007 documentary film by American filmmaker Michael Moore. The film investigates health care in the United States, focusing on its health insurance and the pharmaceutical industry. The movie compares the for-profit, non-universal U.S...
.
Guevara has been an advocate for human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and debt relief
Debt relief
Debt relief is the partial or total forgiveness of debt, or the slowing or stopping of debt growth, owed by individuals, corporations, or nations. From antiquity through the 19th century, it refers to domestic debts, in particular agricultural debts and freeing of debt slaves...
for developing nations. She is the author of the book Chávez, Venezuela and the New Latin America.
Early youth
Although Aleida was only four and a half when her father left Cuba to foment revolution in the CongoDemocratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, and almost 7 years old when he was executed in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, she still has fond memories of him. One such story that she has shared publicly is that her father (Che) would make up animal stories for his faraway children, stating:
Her father's influence
Guevara refers to her father CheChe Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
as a source of personal inspiration. While giving speeches throughout the world she often mentions his writings, while remarking that she finds his diaries particularly helpful for their "political insights and emotional maturity". She has also stated that she finds herself occasionally exclaiming: "Caramba! If only we'd put in practice this or that suggestion we would be in a better position now." In reference to her father's widespread use as a symbol of rebellion, she has stated that when she sees a child carrying his image on a march and the child says "I want to be like Che and fight until final victory", that she feels elated.
In discussing her father's legacy, Aleida has remarked that:
Angolan medical mission
Guevara cites her time as part of a Cuban medical missionCuban medical internationalism
Cuban medical internationalism is the Cuban programme, since the 1959 Cuban Revolution, of sending Cuban medical personnel overseas, particularly to Latin America, Africa and, more recently, Oceania, and of bringing medical students and patients to Cuba...
in Angola as leaving a lasting mark. She describes the impact of this experience with these words:
Current work
As of 2009 Guevara helps run two homes for disabled children in Cuba and two more for refugee children with domestic problems. As a pediatrician specializing in childhood allergies, she has also been involved in medical support for a community in the flooded area around Rio CautoRío Cauto
Rio Cauto can refer to:* Cauto River the longest river in Cuba* Río Cauto, Cuba, a municipality and City in Granma Province, Cuba...
in eastern Cuba, while she has announced plans to work on the Island of Youth, which was devastated by several 2008 hurricanes. She currently has two daughters, Estefania 20 and Celia 19.
External links
- Che Guevara's Daughter Offers Flowers at A-Bomb Monument in Hiroshima May 14, 2008, Associated Press.
- Che Guevara's Daughter Voices Cuban Fears That Bush has Country in His Sights by Terri Judd, October 16, 2004, The Independent.
- Che, My Father by Angelique Chrisafis, May 3, 2002, The Guardian.
- Guevara's Daughter has a Cause, in the Image of her Father June 28, 2003.
- Journey Around My Father July 2, 2003.
- On the Motorcycle Behind my Father, Che Guevara by Aleida Guevara, October 12, 2004, International Herald Tribune.
- Che's Daughter to Rally Reds for May Day March by Andrew Picken, Edinburgh Evening News, April 11, 2009
- Dr. Aleida Guevara Speaks at 2010 International Che Guevara Conference by The Vancouver ObserverThe Vancouver ObserverThe Vancouver Observer is an independent online newspaper.The site was founded in 2006 by journalist Linda Solomon as an online platform for Vancouver bloggers, writers, reporters, photographers and filmmakers. Novelist Ruth Ozeki was involved in the early stages of the site as an adviser...