Remembering Che
Page 9
Another of our regular visitors was Jaime Barrios, a Chilean collaborator, who later died alongside President Salvador Allende at La Moneda Palace, during the tragic events surrounding the military coup on September 11, 1973.
At this time Che began to attend the official government receptions, something he didn’t particularly relish. He also attended the new cadre school and he would get very annoyed if a compañero failed to attend classes. Wherever he went, Che always wore his olive green uniform, which by evening would look quite crumpled and sometimes even dirty, depending on what he had been doing that day.
I remember one particular reception when Regino Boti, our finance minister and a good friend of Che’s with a great sense of humor, urgently called me over to tell me something. He commented, in a low voice, on how elegant Che looked that night. I glanced over at Che whose boots looked scuffed, as they always did, and whose uniform looked the same, a little crumpled perhaps. I couldn’t discern anything unusual in his attire, so I asked Regino what he meant. “Look,” he said, “he has not one, not two, but three pens in his pocket!”
Often, when we were ready to leave work and go home in the early hours of the morning, Alberto Bayo would show up to play chess with Che. Che had so little leisure time and so few pastimes that I would let them be. But this usually meant we would leave the bank almost as the sun was rising and we would be in a bad mood the next day.
Che always made time in his busy schedule to follow the construction of the “Camilo Cienfuegos” school complex. We would go there every week, always with Eliseo, a skilled pilot but, nevertheless, not immune from accidents. One day we got caught in a storm that nearly brought the light aircraft down. After Camilo9 died in a plane crash, we were prohibited from flying in these little planes, and we had to travel in a Cessna with two motors.
For Che these trips in light aircraft had many purposes; he loved to fly and usually piloted the plane himself. Sometimes he would fly over central Cuba along the route from the Sierra Maestra to Santa Clara, recapturing his experiences during the revolutionary war. When we reached our destination, Che would be in a great mood, taking charge of everything, chatting to the soldiers of his former column and asking about everything in great detail. We stayed the night sometimes, sleeping in bunk beds; he would take the top bunk and bring his hand down to hold mine—we would fall asleep that way. Despite the fact we were working, these were most enjoyable trips.
On one of our last visits to the school, we met Sidroc Ramos, who had just been named as its director. His wife, Berarda Salabarría, also worked at the school. The children were yet to arrive. Then in the distance, we saw them coming toward us, led by Isabel Rielo, who had been the captain of the all-female “Mariana Grajales” squad in the Sierra Maestra. I found it very moving, recalling my own painful separation from my family when I had to go to Santa Clara to study. If I had any talent for painting, I would like to have painted that beautiful scene. The children came from some of the most remote parts of the island, and would never have had a chance to study without this school. Their parents were happy for their children to be educated and showed confidence in the revolution. I remember how those children saw electric lights for the first time, commenting with surprise that the stars seemed very low in the sky that night. Such experiences filled us all, especially Che, with a great sense of satisfaction.
In November 1959, as part of a large Cuban delegation of more than 80 women compañeras from all social spheres, I attended the Latin American Congress of Women held in Chile. The Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) and other mass organizations did not yet exist. Nevertheless, prior to the congress we worked in commissions on different themes, with the aim of explaining to others the work of our fledgling revolution.
Che came to see us off at the airport, convinced about the significance of this trip for Cuba and for all of us. This was my first trip abroad. He was not mistaken about the importance of the tour. Journalists followed our every move in Chile, asking us about what was happening in Cuba. I appeared on the front page of one paper as “Mrs. Guevara.” It was a real learning experience for us, as we met labor movement leaders from many different countries. We confidently and effectively explained Cuba’s revolutionary process to anyone who would listen.
Chileans approached us in the street, questioning us about the changes that were taking place in Cuba. We met Salvador Allende (then a member of parliament) and dined at his house, along with the leaders of other delegations. This gave me my first glimpse into the world of diplomacy. I have but one regret about that trip: that I didn’t get to meet Pablo Neruda, one of Che’s favorite poets.
We returned to Cuba via Lima, where we took advantage of the opportunity to see some of the city’s magnificent old colonial buildings with their beautiful balconies. We were anxious to get home, to relate our experiences and especially to be reunited with our partners. Most of us did not want long separations at that time.
The year came to an end, bringing a feeling of satisfaction about what we had accomplished and about the revolution itself. On December 31 we went to the home of our friends Armando Hart and Haydee Santamaría to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Spirits were extremely high that night. Haydee announced she would celebrate her birthday on that date from then on. That night Che danced with Adita, Haydee’s younger sister. To be honest, although he might have wanted to dance, he was a dreadful dancer. He danced in a clownish manner, radiating the joy we all felt. We went home at six in the morning.
The year 1959 had certainly brought about profound changes in our lives. With Che, I felt I was experiencing the best moments of my life—maybe not in the way my romantic novels ended, but I never doubted I belonged with him. Besides, every day I admired him more for his devotion, loyalty and integrity. The more time we spent together, the stronger was the attachment between us.
In a romantic mood, he sent me a postcard from Egypt in 1965, during the last of his extended trips overseas:
Madam,
Through these two doors, solitude escaped and went in search of your green island.
I don’t know if one day we’ll be able to hold hands, surrounded by children, admiring the view from some vestige of the past; if that’s not possible, let it be your dream.
I respectfully kiss your hand,
Your little husband
La Cabaña fortress, Havana, january 1959.
A rest break in La Cabana.
First statements to Bohemia magazine, 1959.
Matanzas, January 7, 1959, where Aleida met Fidel Castro for the first time.
In the Presidential Palace, Havana. (Photo taken by Camilo Cienfuegos.)
Trip to El pedrero with Che‘s parents.
During a 1959 trip to Sumidero, Pinar del Río, in western Cuba.
Che, Aleida (right), Manuel Piñeiro (left) and others in a parade on May 1, 1959, in Santiago de Cuba.
A trip to Minas del Frío, in the Sierra Maestra mountains.
Che and Aleida, with Vilma Espín (wife of Raúl Castro) and Alejandro, the first Soviet ambassador to Havana, during the visit of Soviet Deputy Prime Minister Anastas Mikoyan.
Che and Aleida’s wedding, June 2, 1959. From left, Raúl Castro and his wife Vilma Espín.
Che and Aleida’s wedding, June 2, 1959.
Che and Aleida’s wedding, June 2, 1959.
Che and Aleida’s wedding, June 2, 1959.
Che and Aleida’s wedding, June 2, 1959.
A trip to Bayamo.
Farewell at the airport when Che left on a trip to visit the Bandung Pact (nonaligned) countries, June 12, 1959.
Departure of the Cuban delegation to the Latin American Women’s Congress in Chile. Aleida was a member of that delegation.
Departure of the Cuban delegation to the Latin American Women’s Congress in Chile.
Che and Aleida at a political rally on January 28, 1960.
Aleida with Vilma Espín in Lima, Peru, on their return from the Latin American Women‘s Congress in Chile.
Aleida and Che at a political rally, January 1960.
At the Bellas Artes gallery, 1960.
At an event of the Federation of Cuban Women with Lidia Castro, Calixta Guiteras and Che’s mother Celia de la Serna (right).
Photo taken by Che.
On the way to Baracoa on the Toa River.
Postcard to Aleida sent by Che from Shanghai.
Ciudad Libertad, Havana, with a German delegation, 1960.
With Aleidita (their first child) in their home in Miramar (1961).
Voluntary work with a Chinese delegation.
Aleida during a 1961 trip to China, as head of a delegation of the Federation of Cuban Women.
During the 1961 Federation of Cuban Women’s trip to China.
During the 1961 Federation of Cuban Women’s trip to China.
During the 1961 Federation of Cuban Women’s trip to China.
During the 1961 Federation of Cuban Women’s trip to China.
Meeting Che at the airport on his return from one of his trips to the Soviet Union.
1. Manuel Piñeiro (Barbarroja or Red Beard) was head of the organization responsible for coordinating Cuba’s assistance to liberation and revolutionary movements in Latin America and elsewhere.
2. Celia Sánchez was a member of the Rebel Army’s general staff and Fidel Castro’s personal assistant).
3. A reference to a popular movie at the time, “Vampires in Havana.”
4. Carlos Rafael Rodríguez was a leader of the Popular Socialist Party (PSP).
5. See Ernesto Che Guevara et al: The Great Debate on Political Economy and Revolution (Ocean Press, 2012).
6. The main revolutionary forces that had opposed the Batista dictatorship were the July 26 Movement, the Revolutionary Directorate and the Popular Socialist Party (PSP). These three organizations fused into the Integrated Revolutionary Organizations (ORI) in 1961. Aníbal Escalante, formerly the organization secretary of the PSP, later played a destructive role in the new party.
7. Jorge Ricardo Masetti, an Argentine journalist, was the founder and director of Prensa Latina news agency. He was killed in combat in a guerrilla action in Salta, northern Argentina, in April 1964.
8. This debate is often referred to as the Sierra (mountains) vs the Llano (plains).
9. Camilo Cienfuegos (1932–1959) was a Granma expeditionary. As commander of the Second Column “Antonio Maceo” he led the Rebel Army’s invasion of the northern region of Las Villas, central Cuba. After the revolution, he became head of the Rebel Army, but died in an airplane accident on October 28, 1959.
7
That first year of the revolution soon made me and many others realize the limits of our education. This was, of course, compensated for by our tremendous desire to overcome all obstacles, breaking with the old ways. But it wasn’t easy. On a personal level, Che helped me a great deal. He was a brilliant teacher, leading me by his daily example. But some things I had to figure out for myself, like how to juggle my roles as a wife, mother and worker.
The year 1960 opened with the wonderful, exciting news of another pregnancy. In the first few months I needed special attention from Dr. Celestino Alvarez Lajonchere, who became my gynecologist and subsequently delivered all our children. I also relied on the support of our doctor, Fernández Mell, an old friend and compañero. Celia Sánchez was also extremely helpful in those first few months, as was Che’s mother, who was staying with us at the time. I was supposed to rest; but when my father had a heart attack, I desperately wanted to go to Santa Clara to see him. Che was in the middle of a very important meeting when he heard the news. Concerned about me, he asked Eliseo to take me to Santa Clara by plane.
Che joined us most unexpectedly the next day. I was sitting beside my father as he lay in bed, tending to him as only a daughter can, when I was startled by a voice behind me. Che had dropped everything to be there with me. When we were confident my father was going to recover, we returned to Havana together.
Around this time it was decided to transform the former military Camp Columbia (Ciudad Libertad) into a massive school complex. Most of us who had been living there now had to move. Che and I moved to another home on 18th Street, near 7th and 9th, in Miramar, Havana. We only stayed there relatively briefly from April 1960 to October of 1962, but because of the events on both a personal and historic level that took place while we were living there, that house became very special to us.
During the Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961, two airports in Havana (Ciudad Libertad and San Antonio de los Banos) were bombed, as was the airport in Santiago de Cuba. The October Missile Crisis occurred the following year (1962). In the midst of these crises, our first two children were born. Our daughter Aleidita arrived on November 24, 1960, and Camilo, the long-awaited son, on May 20, 1962. Che was head of the National Bank and the Department of Industry at INRA, but after all industries were nationalized in August 1960, he assumed responsibility for what became the Ministry of Industry. His political activities intensified, both on a national and international level.
In October 1960, Che led a delegation to China to sign the first trade agreements with a socialist country. Before he left, we discussed names for our first child. Che was convinced the baby was a boy. He wanted to break with tradition and not name his first son Ernesto. So we agreed that the boy would be named Camilo after his dearest friend and comrade-in-arms, Camilo Cienfuegos, who had died the previous year.
We never anticipated the birth of a girl. With his usual dry wit, Che sent me a cheerful telegram from China saying that if, by some chance, the baby was a girl, she should be thrown over the balcony. The baby wasn’t named until Che returned from his trip because neither of us had considered girls’ names.
He was in Shanghai when he heard the news. He sent me a postcard:
In this city I found out about our new acquisition.
You are always making sure that I come out looking bad.
Well, anyway, I send you both a kiss, and remember, don’t cry over spilled milk.
Hugs,
Che
He returned with a beautiful quilt as a gift for the baby, whom he said should be called Aleida. He considered it an unusual name and thought it had a musical ring to it. I didn’t want to challenge him on this, given that I knew he had no ear at all for music. But I appreciated him saying he had always liked the name Aleida after he heard it on the radio before he met me. The Aleida mentioned on the radio was a revolutionary combatant, Aleida Fernández Chardié, killed by the Batista dictatorship.
Che returned from China with a good picture of what was happening in other socialist countries, and he started to question some of the differences that existed between them. He was particularly interested in different approaches to achieving the transition to socialism. He was very enthusiastic about what he had seen in China. He admired the way they worked and how they were meeting the challenge of development. He was acutely aware that China, in only 11 years, had emerged from terrible famine. He was impressed by their approach to work and their dedication to the construction of socialism. He often remarked that China was like a living museum of humanity, where you could see the most ancient work tools and the most modern ones, all used with great efficiency.
His enthusiasm for what he had seen in China earned Che the reputation of being a Maoist and pro-China. But his primary interest was evaluating what lessons could be applied to Cuba in its path to socialism. In contrast to his positive impression of China, Che was critical of what he saw in the Soviet Union, especially the privileges some leaders enjoyed. Nevertheless, he recognized the spirit of the people and of their revolution. This is how he described it to me in a letter:
My darling,
I take a few moments in my hectic tour of Stalingrad to send you this postcard.
Here one truly encounters one of the greatest epics in history.
I will be in China in two days.
Kisses,
Che
He made similar
comments about Prague, a city of infinite beauty. He was struck by the splendor of its architecture, but he also remarked the hotels were full of women who appeared to be prostitutes or members of the old class system. Che had always abhorred prostitution.
As the year ended, on New Year’s Eve Fidel and Che discussed many plans and projects at our home. They didn’t regularly have the chance for a relaxed chat, but the empathy and affection between the two men was striking to any observer.
The Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) was organized in 1960. Led by Vilma Espín, it played a very important role in involving women in the tasks and challenges of the revolution. Its goal was the full integration of women into society, eliminating all barriers and restrictions. This was by no means an easy fight because we had to confront persistent male chauvinism that often blocked the incorporation of women into activities outside the home. Moreover, many Cuban women were virtually illiterate or had a very low cultural level.
We saw none of this as insurmountable. We were most proud of our achievements in improving the lives of former maids and prostitutes; we felt this said a lot about the objectives of our organization. I was part of the national executive of the FMC from its inception until the end of 1964, when our son Ernesto was born. My first role was as national treasurer since I had efficiently managed the funds during our trip to Chile in November 1959. We all worked incredibly hard during those first years and learned so much.