Dr Aleida Guevara, daughter of legendary Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara, who was a leader of the Cuban revolution, met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday morning. She has been in the country for a few days, and came to Kerala on Sunday night.
“It was very exciting meeting the daughter of the brave revolutionary,” the CM posted on Facebook. The meeting was held at the Cliff House, the CM’s residence, and CPI(M) politburo member MA Baby was also present.
“The half an hour long conversation was all about Cuban travels, Cuban solidarity meeting and Kerala. Even though she said she was tired from her journey, Dr Aleida was very lively. It is comrade Baby who remembered our Cuban visit of 1994 – we were taking part in the solidarity meeting in Cuba when there was firing at Koothuparamba,” the CM wrote, referring to the police firing at Democratic Youth Federation of India workers, who were protesting the inauguration of a Cooperative Union Bank branch in Kannur by then minister MV Raghavan. Five DYFI workers were killed in the firing.
Aleida said that she too had attended the Cuban solidarity meeting that year, the CM shared. She also recalled her first visit to Kerala, saying that she enjoys the natural beauty of the state. “We also asked after Che Guevara’s family. And Dr Aleida met my family. We had breakfast together,” Pinarayi Vijayan wrote.
He also mentioned that Aleida would be participating in the Cuban solidarity meetings happening in Kannur and Ernakulam.
Che Guevara has been admired by a large section of the youth in Kerala for decades – even half a century after his death. His images adorn walls and fences in Fort Kochi and other parts of the state. T-shirts with Che’s face are also very popular. His revolutionary ideas and the role he had in overthrowing the military regime in Cuba, coupled with his leaving important positions in the Cuban government to lead revolutions elsewhere, appear to attract young Communists to Che even today.