Honza
16th June 2009, 19:48
This appeared in one newspaper, when he was visiting my country...
I had bloody hands, says agent, who interrogated Che Guevara
You were bord in Cuba, how did you get to CIA?
I was born in a small village in the middle of Cuba, but I went to secondary school to USA. In year 1959, when Castro took the power in Cuba, I got accepted into the units ready to fight Castro's regime. I absolved training, which lasted for several months in Panama. We learned how to handle guns, explosives and how to do media work. That waz I became Brigade 2506 member.
Were zou there, when Brigade 2506 invaded Cuba, trying to overthrow Castro's regime?
No, I weren't there. But I got secretly to Cuba two months before invasion. After Brigade defeat, I was hiding on Venezuela's embassy, before I got back to the U.S.
How did your fight against Castro continued?
Since 1963 I was in units which fought against cuban revolutionary guerrilas in whole South America. In 1967, in Venezuela, I was asked to help soldiers fighting Che Guevara units.
How did you find Che Guevara in Bolivia?
I worked as a top commander's advisor. We cooperated with Bolivian reporters who gave us important information. Operation against Che Guevara's units around Rio Grande river started on the 1st October 1967. 7th October, a farmer gave us a kez information, where could Che Guevara hide. A lot of people were killed in the battle, but Che Guevara was alive.
How did you get directly to him?
Che was transported by Bolivian soldiers into an old school house to interrogation. I was in a plane, providing contact between commander and units, so I learned the message wery quick. After receiving message of Che's arrest, all the soldiers celebrated. The next day, a helicopter was flying to the town, where was Che kept, but it could carrz onlz two men. Of course everyone wanted to go. But commander decided, that considering how much had Che damaged my country, I will go.
How did Che Guevara behave in captivity?
When I saw him, he was lying on the ground in room with just on window, tied. Directly before him were lying corpses of several Cuban soldiers. He didn't talk to anyone. He just looked in front. Bolivian soldier was telling him: "You are a foreigner in my country so answer," but Che didn't react. In his bag he had personal things: diary, photographies of family. In diary he had greetings from Cuba signed Ariel. We knew it was from Fidel.
What did you talk about?
First, his face was wery arogant, but then he asked me to untie his shackles. We sat on the bench in front of the building and talked for a long time. Most of the time, I didn't listen to him. I was thinking about his mission to USSR, about his photographies with Nikita Chrushcev or with Mao. About his tough stare. I told him that he is responsible fo hundrets of deaths. "But those were the CIA agents in our country." he replied. :You are not Bolivian either and you fight here." I told him.
We were also speking about Cuban economy. According to him, U.S. embargo was guilty. "You are not an economist expert and you led Cuban national bank." I react. Then he described, how did he get to this post. Castro was asking for a enthusiastic economist on one meeting. However, Che heard "communist" and raised his hand. That's how he became a headmaster of the bank.
What did Bolivians plane to do with Che Guevara?
My order was to keep him alive. Reason could be that Che was not so Sovietish as Castro. He oriented himself more on China, where he had weapons from. Che was against strong Soviet intervention in area and Castro was supporting only USSR.
How did Che Guevara end up actually?
Early in the morning, encoded phone call from headquarters had come. Bolivian officer wanted to see his dead body at two o'clock. I entered the cell a told him: "I did what I could do, but the hoghest order is here." He understood at once and turned white. He asked me to tell his wife to try to marry and be happy. We greeted for the last time and shaked our hands. At one o'clock I told soldiers to shoot him in way he would be shot in battle. After execution I washed his face. During the transport, I had to hold him and I soiled my hands with blood. I suddenly realiyed: They will be saying about you that you have bloody hands.
What was Che Guevara like and what did he believed in according to you?
He really believed in communism, but he was a cruel man and people were afraid of him. His respect was from the fear. I've heard a story which is an evidence of his cruelty. Mother was asking Che Guevara for forgivness for his 15 year old son, who had written contra-revolutionary words and was sentenced to death. She promised that he will never do it again. Che listened to her and called for his guard. Mother thought that he will tell the guard to release her son, but Chehas ordered immediate execution. So mother didn't wait.
What do you think abou his recent popularization? That young people wear t-shirts with his face?
Those people don't know him. I think that lot of them don't even know who he was. In abroad he is considered to be an singer. And the rest is Cuban propaganda.
I had bloody hands, says agent, who interrogated Che Guevara
You were bord in Cuba, how did you get to CIA?
I was born in a small village in the middle of Cuba, but I went to secondary school to USA. In year 1959, when Castro took the power in Cuba, I got accepted into the units ready to fight Castro's regime. I absolved training, which lasted for several months in Panama. We learned how to handle guns, explosives and how to do media work. That waz I became Brigade 2506 member.
Were zou there, when Brigade 2506 invaded Cuba, trying to overthrow Castro's regime?
No, I weren't there. But I got secretly to Cuba two months before invasion. After Brigade defeat, I was hiding on Venezuela's embassy, before I got back to the U.S.
How did your fight against Castro continued?
Since 1963 I was in units which fought against cuban revolutionary guerrilas in whole South America. In 1967, in Venezuela, I was asked to help soldiers fighting Che Guevara units.
How did you find Che Guevara in Bolivia?
I worked as a top commander's advisor. We cooperated with Bolivian reporters who gave us important information. Operation against Che Guevara's units around Rio Grande river started on the 1st October 1967. 7th October, a farmer gave us a kez information, where could Che Guevara hide. A lot of people were killed in the battle, but Che Guevara was alive.
How did you get directly to him?
Che was transported by Bolivian soldiers into an old school house to interrogation. I was in a plane, providing contact between commander and units, so I learned the message wery quick. After receiving message of Che's arrest, all the soldiers celebrated. The next day, a helicopter was flying to the town, where was Che kept, but it could carrz onlz two men. Of course everyone wanted to go. But commander decided, that considering how much had Che damaged my country, I will go.
How did Che Guevara behave in captivity?
When I saw him, he was lying on the ground in room with just on window, tied. Directly before him were lying corpses of several Cuban soldiers. He didn't talk to anyone. He just looked in front. Bolivian soldier was telling him: "You are a foreigner in my country so answer," but Che didn't react. In his bag he had personal things: diary, photographies of family. In diary he had greetings from Cuba signed Ariel. We knew it was from Fidel.
What did you talk about?
First, his face was wery arogant, but then he asked me to untie his shackles. We sat on the bench in front of the building and talked for a long time. Most of the time, I didn't listen to him. I was thinking about his mission to USSR, about his photographies with Nikita Chrushcev or with Mao. About his tough stare. I told him that he is responsible fo hundrets of deaths. "But those were the CIA agents in our country." he replied. :You are not Bolivian either and you fight here." I told him.
We were also speking about Cuban economy. According to him, U.S. embargo was guilty. "You are not an economist expert and you led Cuban national bank." I react. Then he described, how did he get to this post. Castro was asking for a enthusiastic economist on one meeting. However, Che heard "communist" and raised his hand. That's how he became a headmaster of the bank.
What did Bolivians plane to do with Che Guevara?
My order was to keep him alive. Reason could be that Che was not so Sovietish as Castro. He oriented himself more on China, where he had weapons from. Che was against strong Soviet intervention in area and Castro was supporting only USSR.
How did Che Guevara end up actually?
Early in the morning, encoded phone call from headquarters had come. Bolivian officer wanted to see his dead body at two o'clock. I entered the cell a told him: "I did what I could do, but the hoghest order is here." He understood at once and turned white. He asked me to tell his wife to try to marry and be happy. We greeted for the last time and shaked our hands. At one o'clock I told soldiers to shoot him in way he would be shot in battle. After execution I washed his face. During the transport, I had to hold him and I soiled my hands with blood. I suddenly realiyed: They will be saying about you that you have bloody hands.
What was Che Guevara like and what did he believed in according to you?
He really believed in communism, but he was a cruel man and people were afraid of him. His respect was from the fear. I've heard a story which is an evidence of his cruelty. Mother was asking Che Guevara for forgivness for his 15 year old son, who had written contra-revolutionary words and was sentenced to death. She promised that he will never do it again. Che listened to her and called for his guard. Mother thought that he will tell the guard to release her son, but Chehas ordered immediate execution. So mother didn't wait.
What do you think abou his recent popularization? That young people wear t-shirts with his face?
Those people don't know him. I think that lot of them don't even know who he was. In abroad he is considered to be an singer. And the rest is Cuban propaganda.