TELEGRAM Department

lee"

of Stdte

"

'
0/7238

RR RULPAL RUEKDA
DE RtJA
LZ 3 0 9 A 0 7 ^ 2 5 1 5
ZNY CCCCC
R 162^45Z MAR 67
PI AMEMRA3SY LA

Action

AJU
tnfo

SS

17

AM 7

57

TO RUEHC/SEC3TAIE WA3HDC
RUESAS/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION
RUE3BA/AMESBASSY "5'JE>J05
RIO DE
LISA
RULPAL/USCINC53

C-E-:

SP

so
SAii
L
H
10

STATE GRNC
BT
~TA PAZ 2314

USIA

SUBJECTS REPORTED 3UE3RILLA ACTlV.IfY IN BOLIVIA.

I'CR
CIA
^v ^ i

1. AT URGENT RLQUE3f OF PRESIDENT BARRIENTOS, I

CALLED ON HIM AT HIS HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON'

ACiDA

SY DCM AND DEFATT Tl FIND HIM IN A MEET!NG^VITH ACTING

CHIEF OF ARMED FORCES GENERAL BELMOXTE; ARMY COMMAN'DER GENERAL. LAFUENTE? ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF COLONEL^
l
VASQUEZ; AND AIDES.
O

PC
E

2. BARRIENTOS SAID BOLIVIAN AUTHORITIES YESTERDAY

Lr\ g

*^ *4- *A "^

GD?

PAGE

z RUESLZ 2314

flHHBHB-H-WPHH.

MORNING PICKED UP TWO GUEKRILLA SUSrECTS (VINCENTE j , ^ 13 S

ROCAPAjDQ-TERRAZAS AND PASTOR BARRERA OUTNTED NEAR
^
I P I T A , tiEPARTMENT OF SANTA CRUZ, COORDINATES. "APPROX- IMATELY-4 9 DEGREES. 4 0 MINUTES SOUTH AND 6 3 DEGREES. 3 Z g
MINUTES W E S T ^
.
.
-.'.,
g
IN LA PA^TODAYi^SUSPECTS: R E - r r ITTED ASSOCIATION WITH-GROUP 'Of-GUERRILLAS
S T 0 : 4 3 IN REGION SURROUNDING^IP IT A, PUNNING
hm

LffimiLL*S

n-THE-SOUTH -. J

THE ..NORTH. r:THEY=REPOR.TEDUfSAIDL-GR0u|

p =REfiri AP 3 ^ 0 THER iFOREIGNERSjSSflSEECTS j E ^ ~ g
.-SO-RECENTLrTREPJ)RrED;F-ROK HERE

- y ^..*^4~*y -v^":^-.:.;
~-.\ ~\i^7?-K**'.

J :;pt

'r-'~rT ^r '

*^'

- ^ i j . ^ ; . . -.:->i.ti^it.~

-3-

LA PAZ 2314, mRCH 17

9 . 3ARftIENT0S REQUESTED IMMEDIATE 'ASSISTANCE FROM

US IN FOLLOWING RESPECTS:
JAW PROVISION OF RADIO LOCATING EQUIPMENT AND
NECESSARY TECHNICAL BANK-UP TO ENABLE GOB
TO P I N - P O I N T REPORTED GUERRILLA RADIO
TRANF3ITTERS.
E.

ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT WHICH

WOULD BE NEEDED BY FIELD FORCES OPERATING THERE.

12. SAHrtlENTOS SAID HE THOUGHT SECURITY FORCES IN

IARAGUAY AND ARGENTINA SHOULD KNOW OF THE FOREGOING
I S THE EVENT THE REPORTED GUERRILLAS ARE FORCED OUT
AND CWEE IN THEIR DIRECTION. HE ASKED OUR COOPERA-

PAGE 5 RUESLZ 2 3 1 4 . _

._
TICN IN TRANSMITTING THIS MESSAGE.
L . I MADE NO COMMITMENTS BEYOND A PROMISE TO LOOK
INTO WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DC*
1 2 . WE ARE TAKING T H I S REPORT OF GUERRILLA ACTIVITY
WITH SOME RESERVE, BUT SEE NO HARK IN EMBASSIES
ASUNCION AND BUENOS AIRES PASSING MESSAGE MENTIONED
PARAGRAPH 7 ABOVE,. AT THEIR DISCRETION.
1 3 . MEANWHILE. WE ARE"SEEING WHAT WE CAM DO L O . CALLY ABOUT PROVIDING RADIO LOCATES EQUIPMENT
BEFORE CALLING FOR FURTHER USG HELP I T H I S REGARD*
= GP-3. : HENDERSONS

j
PAZ 2314, MA.KCH 17
LVED IN GU EH RILL A PREPARATIONS.
4. SUSPECTS REPORTEDLY MENTIONED CHE GUEVARA AS LEADER
OF B&D, BUT ADMITTED THEY HAD NEVER SEEN HIM, AND WE
(INCLUDING BARRIENTOS) DULY DOUBTFUL OF TKIS^ SUSPECTS
REPORTEDLY SAID GUERRILLAS HAD "AMPLE" BUT OTHERWISE

PAGE 3 RUE3LZ 314 ,

,.
UNSPECIFIED QUANTITIES AND TYPES OF ARMS; AND HAD
FUNDS. SUSPECTS WERE IN FACT PICKED UP AFTER AROUSING
SUSPICIONS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES BECAUSE OF UNDULY GENEROU3 OFFERS THEY WERE MAKING F3R FOOD SUPPLIES. PROXIMATE CAUSE OF THE* DETENTION MAY HAVE BEEN HOWEVER
THEIR SALE OF A 22 CALIBER RIFLE.
$. THERE HAS BEEN NO ARMED OR OTHER TYPE OF CONTACT IN
AREA WITH THE REPORTED GUERRILLAS, ALTHOUGH TWO SQUADS
OF BOLIVIAN ARVECTROOPS ARE REPORTEDLY TRAILING
ONE HALF HAY BEHIND ELEMENTS OF THEM THROUGH VERY
DIFFICULT TERRAIN.
6. BARRIENTOSr-ANp HIS SENIOR MILITARY COMMANDERS
APPEARED PREPARED TO BELIEVE THES*WAS SOME KIND OF
GUERRILLA"PREPARATION IN THE AREA AND ASSERTED AS A
FACT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF GUERRILLA RADIO TRANSMITTERS SENDING CODED SIGNALS WITHIM THE'REGION.
7. -BARRIEKTOS SAID HE. BELIEVED THE GUERRILLAS* PURPQSS WAS 7 DIVERT-BOLIVI AN-MILITARY -FORetfS^TtJ-r/
REMOTE, DENSELY COVERED AND MILITARILY EXTREMESLY
-DIFFICULT TERRAIN. LEAVING VITAL CENTERS-SUCH; AS

THE MINES WITH?REDUCED

CONFIDENTIAL
Department of'State m /> _
i qd7 EXCISE, TELEGRAM
PAGE

*:

LA PAZ 0 0 5 J 3

0 5 0 5 1 1 Z PECLASSWCATION DATE

PER N"fcl
INFO USIE 00OfS/

0USP ! 02#SS

CIA 0 4 J N S A 00,INR 07#AID

H 02*/155 W

P R 0419202 SEP 67
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TC S E C S T A T E WASHOC PRIORITY 2866
INFC AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 113
AMEKBASSY BRASILIA *k
AhEr*BASSY BUENOS AIRES 203
AMCf-BASSY LIMA 323
AME^BAOMY MONTEVIDEO 96
AMEKBASSY PARIS 36
<
AMEM8ASSY RIO DE JANEIRO 175
FCI,I, E
EO or P
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 1>2
AMCONSUL COCHABAMBA
USCINCSO

.LA PAZ 5i3

JOINT EMBASSY/USIS MESSAGE

SUBJECT* GUERRILLAS
REFi LA PAZ 506

6)

/VJ

1. PRFSENCIA SEPTt 3 CARRIED ^ T O R ^ Y S A N T A CRUZ

DAm2i22r!
rospoa^ivQ info.

Department of State

CflHTlDOlTllt
piGE 32

LA PAl 00513

05021IZ

CORRESPONDENT EDWIN CHACON*.WHO INTERVIEWED

GUERRILLA JOSE CARILLQ, SLIGHTLY WOUNDED AND
CAPTUPED AUG. 31 CLASH. CHACON QUOTEO CARILLO
AS SAYING QUOTE DEBPAY WAS IN N A N C A H U A ^ U * CARRYING
ARM? 4ND NEARLY ALWAYS WITH THE GUEVARA AND THE
Co3*\<3 UNQUOTEo CARRILLO ALSO SAlD"DEBf*AY GAVE
LECTUPES LP GUERRILLAS BUT HE !CARRILL6) WAS
3M S J A R D DUTY AND OID NOT H E A R I R H E M . CARRILLO
ALSO REPORTED AS SAYING IAI.HE M E T GUEVARA WEARING3PA=?S C A R D IN NANCAHUAZU DURING FIRST WEEK JANUARY*
(3) GUEVARA PARTICIPATED ATTACK ON SAMAIPATA AND
LEFT ARE SEVERAL DAYS LATER WITH FIVE UNIDENTIFIED

PAGE 3 RuESLZ 033A

CUBANS* (C) TANIA W A S WITH GUERRILLA GROUP FROM
. AND WAS VERY VALIANT* M*) HE* CARRILtO*
COMMUNIST YOUTH ORGANIZATION ORUSO AND
SINCE 1964^ JOINED GUERRILLA GROUP
JAN. THIS YEAR WITH TEN OTHER BOLIVIANS*
MET FORTY MORE AT CAMP WHERE RECEIVED ARMS TRAINING*
AND LATER FOUGHT WITH VARIOUS GROUPS.
2-. COMMUNIQUE RELEASED LAST NIGHT INDICATED NEW FIRE*
FIGHT OCCURRED SEPT, 3 BETWEEN GUERRILLA FRACTION ANO
ZLEr-ENTS FOURTH DIVISION AT PALMARITO* ONE GUERRILLA
if I-LED AND 3QDY TRANSPORTED CAdlRI FOR IDENTTF tCATlON.
D E F A T T CONFIRMS AND STATES NO BAF CASUALTIES*
3 PRESS REPORTS ANOTHER GUERRILLA FRACTION CONTACTED*
!"0RM*G S^T*;.3 BY EIGHTH DIVISION UNIT AT M A S I C U R I
:VADG DE M l ^ o S H O R T DISTANCE FROK STTE AUGUST 3i" CLASKPPESENClA^ptAlMS FIREFIGHT FOLLOWED THOUGH NO DETAILS YET
AVAILABLE^ NO'OFFICIAL CONFlRMATIONe

PAG=:

SLZ 03A

4, A R M Y COMMANDER L A FUENTE ANNOUNCtffJ

Department of State
F76CCC3-i949

PAGE P3

LA PAZ 00513

TELEGRAM

050211Z

PATROLS ARE SEARCHING RIO GRANDE FOR BODIES TANIA

AND NEGRO* ALLEGEDLY KILLED AUGUST 31."HOWEVER/

ARMY G-3 INFORMS- DEFATT SINCE BODIES NOT YET

RECOVERED IT IS NOW BELIEVED THEY MAY ALREADY
ESCAPED.
'
:
_ -- jC0RRECT NAME PRISONER
5.
IS JOSE CAS TTL LO CHAVEZ (AKA PACOJ A N D ' J O I N E D

GUERRILLAS FEB. NOT JAN* AS REPORTED

-HENDERSON

ORHilN/ACTION

DEPARTMENT OF

( w t hHtlici a s si f i e d
" Department o f

TO
F6O

AID

^e:?3.-i953

INFO:

USCINC30, DIA

FROM

Amembassy LA PA2

.HANDLING INOICHOR

iber 16, 1967

Press Article .pn.,Che Guevar

DECLASStFlCATlON DATE a
PER pT^V-^AiVN OFF

SUBJECT:
Mir

r
U1I A

FADRC FOI CASE NO.

Following is an informal' trAf&lation of an article written
by Humberto VACAFLOR Ganaito, which appeared in theSeptember 13
issue of the La Faz daily Fresencia. entitled, "Che Guevara
in Bolivia." The article is believed to be substantially
accurate, T\
(states that Guevara probably enteredjEp/nW
Bolivia by plane, traveling directly to La Paz, in November
19.66, and not by crossing the frontier with Erazil at Corusiba
in January I967, as stated in the article.

tn

CM

o
CO

Vacaflor is an enterprising journalist and apparently obtained

some of the information, from Bolivian Armed Forces (BAF)
sources. Since this article appeared (although apparently for
different reasons), the BAF has revoked Vacaflor's press
credentials to enter the operational zone, including Camiri.

HENDERSON

Enclosure: Informal Translation

of Vac<

POL:CW

DEPAS3MEm-OFSTATA/CDC/MR . / .
ODENY

JECLASSIFYinPART
ODELEIE

Nowapoaweinio,

to() Sor() COADR

Department of
r

F76CCC3-1922

t TES O*

PAGE

*I

LA PAZ 00826

TELEGRAM
num -OP

09 I 939Z DECLA$S!F!CATION DATE

PER VtT^y^
ACTION ARA 19

FADRC FO1 CASE NO

INFO SSO 00,USIE

00;SP 02,SS 35J>GPM 03,SC

02-SAH

07*CIA

0 R 0919J5Z OCT 67
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO S E C S T A T E WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3085
INFO DOO
EHVXSWBD ^ y
D IA

useiNcso
LA PAZ 826
SECDEF FQR OSD/ISA

< [/EXCI33

( ) tiTvTi

( )

FOI, E p c r PA QQcemptioas
f.T. A-qflnry HA

SUBJEC't CHE GUEVARA

\: ACCORDING
"1 GHE GUEVARA TAKEN
PRISONER BY BOLIVIAN ARMY UNITS 'TTr HII:GULKAS AREA SOUTHWEST
OF V I L L A G R A N D E SUNDAY, OCTOBER go
2 e GUEVARA RELIABLY REPORTED STILL ALIVE WITH LE<3 WOUND
IN CUSTODY BOLIVIAN TROOPS IN HIGUERAS*M0RNlN6 OCTOBER 9.

PAGE RUESLZ 099A

BOLIVIAN ARMY COMMANDER GENERAL DAVID LAFUENTE DEPARTED

LA PAZ FOR GUERRILLA ZONE MORNING OCTOBER 9, PRESUMABLY
TO VERIFY FIRST HAND IDENTITY OF GUEVARA.
GP-* HENDERSON

UTS.H DEPARTMENT

DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH

Wa 4*0
fcr/;

L L i

r r r

* ' ' J

S/S

_
<!<.,

/ October 12, 1%7

_G]NSBl]R.SII

^^JqUBSfl

.. 6
Subject;

7 ^ 1 4 _ttlMEl

f/TOW

Cneviri*s DeathTte rfeanlng for Latin Amariut

^ >..

Che1 GueVdta'fl death was ft crippling pernaps fatalblow to tbe Bolivian

guerrilla auvgneaE w.& ma? prove & serious setback fax Hdel Caattp^ tiapfta to
foment violent u<rolotion in "all or almost all" Lattn AnerlcJtn cauatrlea,
ConmuniatJ and Othefs who atgftt have baatt prepared to Initiate Cuban-style
warfare v t l l 1j dlHcotirafed, at leait for A time, by "the defeat of tit*
tactician <jf tins Often revolutionary fltzateg^ at tin? h&nds f ont a tne
dmiefl In the hsnlEpEteve * Hcw^var^ there i s l i t t t t 2lkellh<M4 that Caacro fttd tils
followers throughout Latin Anedcft v i l l ceade their efforts to fomettt and support
Albeit peibaps with a-owe. tactical modi fl cations.
Tha mvstarv a Guevara.

Argentine-born Ernesto "Oie'^ Giifivara, Fidel CasEra's

man and chief lleutenmt in the Sierra Haestr^ author of a book QH

t a c t i c s , -one-tima president of Cuba's National Sank under Castro ami
\At&r Mtdister of Ladufltt^t nyfitATlawly diaappeacej in Harch 1965. Rumor said
that ha was i l l , or that ha had been put to death by Castro, or, that ho *as la toe
Dominican Republic during itft c i v i l war or in Vietnam or in t&e Congp.
1965,

In October

Castro finally announced that Guevara had renounced hie Cuban c i t l z e u h i p and

set off to da vote his services tp the revoluttonary cauGd i n other landed Eumors
ag to hie whereabouts crautinuadt but until xecencly there was no stjbstantlal
xa ptroTe even that ha vas alive*
'

Guevaxisnw makas_a__3_trcmt eoaabflek.

This (tporl WHF prodymi

it [nci.||,ti^r ;ihd R
nut

The Harth 1965 disdpnaarancd o

- 2 occurred d a r i r ^ a period whan Fidel Caacro w M toning down hi* enrpftaBia t violent
revolution and trying to compos his difference with the t r a d i t i o n a l pro-Soviet
flmiauaist p a r t i e s In U t i n America,

Rut i t was not l<raS before Castro again

to favor openly Eh* independent revolutionary theory vhicii tie and Guevara had
hased <JH their view of the Cuian revolution.

i f t t f t

c(l4

in itavaqa In January 1366, Caatra hds adwatated with lncreasi R g

tha thai 3 which U s e t fotdi most t l e l v l w a book t p t i t l * d Revolution iditti
the Eftvolutlwr? by C^trt's principal theoretical apologise, French Handst
Intellsctdat JUUG Etegis Debra/ (now on trial i n B&ilvla).
pr

Disgusted with the

peacaful piCh-to-poirer11 arguments of the Latin America* qld-liii* comwnist parties

especially tlw Venestreljiii CTsnrf thtir Soviat sirpporteri t Fidel and Pebray have
asserted t h a t Latin America U xlpe far insurgency now and have specif lad that the
ruraletierriUa nuvenfint rather than say uxhen-based comnunist party or other group
onifit be. the focal point and the teadqudrters of the insurgency.

They have declared

that jetton must taJu* precedence over Ideology and tfiac the g u e r r i l l a Movementas
thi nucleus, of a Ma^iat-Leninist part/ will create the objective conditiona for
i t s ultimata success and attract; the local peasantry.
On April 17 this year Cuban media gave ^ a t play ra an article, swpQjiedLy
written by Guevara reiterating the dLetre-tiuevara-JJcbray t h e s i s .

Two days later

Fidel praised th& a r t i c t e end eulogised Guevara, ellMfriatins any lincoring

tliat che romantic "Che" had been removed from the Cuban, pantheon*
LASO Conference hlehliithta dieactreem&nc of rrrtiiotioK cnrjnvunises^

Tha first

Latin American SoUdarlty Orj;anlnation meeting in Havana this summer served co

miners coro diajgrecffient with the Castr.0 ties i s by the old line communist partiesBtfVFT F* T r* 11

"~i T i"~ i"i

ir

- 3 -

They ar^ne that cflndittoas fo T v i o W wwlutlQd <ist only lit var,

fetf

African touuctlea at ptesattt and that the local commit parties-net

other fgreieaars-shoiild be

Cfte

HarxLat t h r y what t ^ t i e s ^
ttfc d e l f i

or
only ones tc determine in accordant ith traditional
l i e d tor.

^^^

t oatw^xd shew o f h a n n o n y

E ^ 5 t tttt LASO cofifettntt,^ which G^vaxa w*e n a d hanoraTy pmst^nt

i n absentia,widened the breach b a w the pro-HMcw MimmciiatB ^id thosa who

revolution now*
for the diaotv?

The guerrilla. inB^rgsicT in

which casie tn l t g ^ t In Hard! 1967 refclndl*d iatexnattonal i n t e ^ s t in Latin

American in B ureMleB and especially in th* movsnanta then uodewa/ in Latin
The G^Kmalaa guereUlas

Sed

to be the r ; s u e r r i l l a f O r a i n

and Colootia wftre ifiaking no headway.

hand,

3eCQd t 0

The new Bolivian in 5 U r S eutjr, on the other

he the uxtet promisi n e ,

ln

eflOrt

aaiTLtBn

^ ^

with

Cflfldt(f

and within tHe Latin AnBrltan ^ t r e n U t t , evti, t r a d i t i o n a l cflmntmiet parct^s agreed

tg endoraa tt fiollvlan g u e r r i l l a ,

Interest vaa f^rtfier hatj^tejied vtiBR in April

Dabt^y hlmsflU was captured by the Bolivian annfld & T S ^ d h e Indicated that Che
Guevara tkqd o r g a n i c and was leading toe g u & m i l u *
I n i t i a l battlea befii te fiirertillas and ehfi Bolivian army last March and
April proved almost disastrous to the poorly trained* ill-equipped troops who
hcaw losses in every ancotmter.

The failute of the stmy to deal effectively

of fasurrcctioniats shook ch* e n t l w Uollvian eovemment and 1E to

desperate appeals for OS assistance.
action night he required by them.
infallible.

;feiehbflrlnS wmicrlas be ? a n to consider nat

But the

fttrrill

proved n e i t h e r invincible nor

By July, aided by testimony from Deb ray an<l ochar captives u

-SEflJULl^l)
- 4 of the guerrilla farce or had ton tact with It, as * e l l AS by peasant?
w r e loyalty to tha amed fertea than to the guatrlLIqB despite ue
latter*' efforts to ww them, Bolivian airav units were able to i n f l i c t 3c
on the g u e r r i l l a s albeit with fairly heavy sssuaHies*

In late August, a

significant victory toot place vhtr* the guerrilla rear guard was wiped out in a
well-exaciited ambush. S t i l l , a successful encounter vich the main body of the
Suar r i l l s force did not occur until October $a when the anny recouped Its
rapiit^ticm by the action which resulted in the death of Guevara*
Effects in Bolivia*

GuevarVa death i s a feather in fctift cap of Bolivian

President Rene Barrlentai*

thi%4t to Et$htli.v/>

I t nay Bigael the end of die g u e r r i l l a ntoroment: ^ a

If so* the Bolivian mllleary, which i s a major element of

Barrier cos1 support t will erijor a sense of s&lf-confldenoe and strength that i t
loms lacked.

nas

However, victory couU also s t i r p o l i t i c a l ambitions amonR ^rniy

officers who wete directly involved in the a n t i - s t i e r r l l l a camp at pi and vim may
thenaelvefl as the aoviors of the republic*
Castro r3 reaction:

nublu rsdedieqtioft and private reaseecsBiaai:.

Cuban

media have thus far limited their reporting on Guevara's olfi^tti to m&ncionl a a i a t e n t stateraental] to this effect in the international press which Cdbdrt
a u t h o r i t i e s can nelthar cemfinn or deny*
public position are generally predictable*
ravQlutionar? who met a heroic death*

However, the broad outlines of Havana's

Guevara will be. eulogized as tht model

Hi& ewsnplary conduct w i l l be concristed tD

the do-n0thlngT cowardly thftottaiivfi of the old line communist parties and otJiar
"pBeudo-tftVolutionftrifls11 In. Latin America aiwi eLsevtiere,

The Castro-Guevara-Debray

thesis w i l l be upheld as s t i l l valid and the protracted nature of the struggle

- 5 be emphasized.

Elame far Guevara'*j death w i l l be attributed to the usual villains

US tinp&xltlism,

Chft Green Berets tha CIAwitfi tml? p o s i n g contemptuous raference

to the Bolivian "lackeys".

A c a l l w i l l no datdic he

na de

for *w "ChtV1

Co

pick vp

thfl banner of the fallen loader and o p t i c s t i c predictions will ha made as to the
i n e v i t a b i l i t y o the final txi-vrnph.
In private, hcueuer, Castro and his associates w i l l have to reappraise the
prospects foT exported revolution,

Castro mlj^it yp hie cotaditnett of Cuhm men

and regflurces to foreign ing urgency in. ot<ier to demonstrate that the death of
the

combatanteven/illtutrioua "che"makes u t t l e difference to the. eventual

of guerrilla utruegle in the hemisphere.
Castro's

chaEacterljjtic

Such response rfauld f i t with

refusal to accept failure u a major undertaking.

Or

he might c u r t a i l Cuba'* efforts to foster insurgency abroad^ pending further

end 5tod:taking on the prospects for potential Hid existing insurgencie
on aial^zin^ the Guevara effort in Bolivia, he mi^ht adopt same nev tactic?!
for g u e r r i l l a ooveneats.

Oft balance, i t seams most 1Italy chat he will

continue to tammic abput tha saoa tevei of resources ag at praa^Tit to promising

reV^lutionjrifls while utilizing the memory of tht ^maxcywd" Cu&v&ra and perhaps
some tactical changes in approach*
FrobAle Latin American raactlon to Cuavara1s___daatli.

News of CUSVB^'S death

w i l l relieve most non-leftist Latin Americans who feared that sooner or later he
might fomeiit iiuurganciQB in their countries*

The demise of the most glamorous

jind reputedly efflctiva revolutionary nay even cause some Latin Ameiit&na to
grad.e the seriousness of iiuurgemr? and the s o c i a l factors which breed IE* On
the ochcr hand+ crammmists of whatever a t r l o a ind nthe? Leftists are Lilce.lv tp

W.S5EM
- 6 -

eulogize the revolutionary fltartvr especially for tie eonCrlEmtion to the Cuban
revolutionand to maintain that revolutions will continue until their

arc

If thft Bolivian guerrilla movement U soon eUminatad 03 a serious subversive

threat, tlw death of Guav^ra will have, awm more ltuportant repercuaaions anwms
Latin Amflrican Mmmunists*

The donLnit- peaceful Hue ftroupfi, who wert either

In total iisaare^Eent Tiith Castro a t paid only lip-service to the

struggle, will be aile to argua with
Dabray thesis,

BBIE

Sucrritla

authority a^ainsc the

Thev can paiat: out that even a nBvemenc led bjr the

TETolutlonary tBctiiiai, fo
for levolution, had failed*

country whicW apparanUy pxoirided conditions

UhUe these parties

a M

tt&likeiy/ea dSigrirte Qie[3

itnportange and a b i l i t i e s , they will be abUs to accuse the Cubans of adventurism

and point out that the ptesentfl of so marty Cubans and other zEoxeigners aufflnR the
leaders of the Bolivian guerrillas tended to alienate the peasaats
suppore they ultinacfily depended,

xriic.se

Hiey will bd able to argue that any insurgency

must be indigenous and that only local paxti.es fcn^ V^A

for revolution,

UBMI

local coiiditions are rtpe

Castro certainly will not be able to djaassociate himself from

Guavara1? Solivlau efforts and will b subject to tfvn told yd so" criticism from
the old line parties.

Although l e f t i s t sroupa which may liave marginally

the Cuban theory pwbotly will ^evaluate their p o l i c i e s Castro's spell eti
youthfyL Iftfciat eletdants in tie hemisphere will hot be broken.

DBPI* PASS*

fcnr

ASWCION, BUEX05
, ^
DE JANEIRO, SANTIAGO, * * ,

tSCINCSO

Amftmbaeay LA i?AZ

P*TE: 0 c t ob e r l g , 1967

o f f i c i a l Confirmation. o Death of Che Guevara

Aft

SUBJECT
KM.

REF

LI

on document*

the

group Commanded by Ernesto

h

*****others"

lost

a) Ernesto Guevara fell into the hands of our troops

SJS^SJ/"? iA ^ $ of hlsa^al **i*i.

i J *
S t r * l l 3 f e r r e d to th*. town of La Higncr
B P
!%?*
" ^ ' n H5iuad
*y* Octpber 6, where he died as
S
UndS
9 bod r w s
5
r
*
>
transferred to the city
M d
tob r 9 i
b i i
*

b
Bl li 111 d o
Dr
?' ?
S j O P S * Dr* MoiB*3 Abraham Baptist* and
Dr. iJMO*"S*
B * W a r i a C f i M , director and intern respectively of the

1+
2,
3*
4.
5*

Annex 1 (Death Certificate)

Annex 2 (Autopsy Report)
Annex 3 CArgentine Police Report)
Communique of Argentine Embassy
Spanish texts of above (clippings)

FOB TfEPT. USE OtiLV

"'*

* * *

! !^ I

F7G0C0.3-1873
LA PAZ

Knights of Malta hospital, certified the death (Annex No* 1) and

recorded the autopsy ordered by the military authorities of
Yeller*nde (Annex Bo, 2 ) *
c) With regard to the identification of the deceased and th<\
authentication of tha diary that belonged to him, the government
requested the cooperation o f Argentine technical organizations,
which sflttt three experts, one handwriting specialist and tvo
fingerprint specialists, who verified the identity of the remains
and certified that the handwriting of the campaign diaryf captured
by our troops, coincides with that of Ernesto Guevara (Annex No*
d) The campaign diary and the book of doctrine flibro de
Cj&neeptuacjones ) are documents that contain an account of activi-*
ties, from the dat* of hie entry (into the guerrilla area) until
October 7, and (justify) the judgments that this chief of subversion the members of the guerrilla band*, find the people, both in
this country and abroad, *dw collaborated with them, deserved.
As a consequence, they are documents exclusively for the use of
the military
Z

;>. ? J \ t h i s m *ans the Military High Ccmraand considers complete

all infomatioQ relating to the dflath of Che Guevara. Xa Faz,
October 16, L967-." END UNCLASSIFIED.
BEGlJf CLASSIFIED. Comment: Ihe reports provide farther- documentary proof that the guerrilla chieftain, vhc vas reportedly
fatally injured in battle against the Bolivian Armed Forces on
October S, was indeed Ernesto Che Guevara 'Jhe documents do little*
however, to resolve public speculation on the timing and manner
of daath> It will be widely noted that neither the death certificate nor the autopsy report state a time of death <the examinine:
physicians are said to have told journalists that Guevara died.
A few hours before their examination late in the afternoon of
October 9> : Moreover, the communique also leaves unsaid ths time
of death, indicating simply that it occurred sometime between
9 p.m. October St and the transfer of the body to Vallegrande at
4 p*m. th* following afternoon* This would appear to be an
attempt to bridge the difference between A series of earlier diverg*nt statements from Armed Forces sources, rangidg from assertions
that he died during or shortly after battle to those suggesting
hft survived at least twenty-four hours. Some early reports last
week also indicated that Guevara w*fl captured viih minor injuries
while Zater statements, including the attached autopsy report,
that he suffered multiple and geriona bullet voundS.
LIMITED

#* +

#
V

* .
4
+

* *,*
4
B--i4

* 4*4
^ 4
4

LA PAZ

A-12S

We doubt that the communique will satisfactorily answer thess

questions and fire inclined t* agree with the Comment by Freeencla
columragt F^litictia th*jt t h * M diecrepancies^ now that the identity
of thft body s generally ac&epteel, are Agoing to be the new focus
or polemics in th* coming daySj especially abroad, EHJ) CLASSIFtH>

UNCLASSIFIED

g 1 of Enclosure to
LA PAZ A-128

Annex No. 1 - Bfrath Certificate

The death certificate signed O c t W r 10, 19$7 1 by Drs, Maieer
ABRAHAM Baptist a and Jose MAKTItfttZ Cazot Hospital Knights of
Malta, Vallegrsnde, Bolivia, iDdic4te that on October 9 at
5:30 p,nt*, ther arrived i)0A an individluel who military authorities aaid wue Ernesto GUEVARA Lynch> approximately 40 yeare of
a^e> the cause of death being multiple bullet wounds in the
thorax and extremities Pp*ser>viitive was applied to the body.

Annex No. 2 - Autopev

The aut&pey report signed October 10, 1H7 by Dre* ABRAHAM
Baptleta and MARTINEZ Caao, indicates that the body recognised
&& that of Ernesto Ousvarfl wd 40 years of a$et white race,
approximately 1,73 merteps in height, brrnn curly hair, h*avy
curly beard and mustache^ heavy eyebrows, etrtight noae^ thin
lipEj month open, teeth in good order with nicotine etaine,
lower left pre-molar floating, Xight blue *yee> regular physique,
*car lon^ almost whole left side of buck. A general examination
showed the following wounds;
li Builet wound in left clavicular region egress^? through
shoulder blade*
2 4 Bullet wound in right clavicular region fracturing name,
without ogress*
3.

Bullet wound iri right side, without egr#se.

4*

t+ro bullet rounds in l^ft BiOe, with egress through back*

5- Bullet Hound in left pectoral between 9th *nd 10th ribs.

with *r*u c-n left side.
6*

Bullet vound in lower thijtxJ part of right thigh.

7*

Bullet wound A& lower third part ^of l^ft thigh in

8*

Bullet vound in lower right forearm with fraetmwd ulva.

The thorax cavity when opened ahowed that the first around lightly
iniur*d the apex of the left lung.

UNCLASSIFIED

LA PAZ Arl2S

The second injured the sub-clavie vessel, the bullet lodging

itself Ifi the second vertebra.
Ihe third transfers ed. the right lung lodging itself in the 9th
The left lung was sligfrtly damaged, by bullet no* 4n** 5 trartsve^sed fch* left lung; in a tangential trajectory.
Thorax cavities, tsepfcelfllly th* ri^chtj presented Bbundant blood
collection,
The opened abdomen showed iw> traumatic lesion, only expansion
due to gases and citric liquid*
The cause of death W B $ the thorax wounds and consequent hentorrhagIng.

Annex No* 3 - Argentine Police Report

On Saturday, October 14/ 1967> three officiale of the Argentine
Federal Police (Investigations), one a handwriting expert and
the other two fingerprint experts, at thfe request of the Bolivian
Goverwuent, visited Eoliviafi miittftry headquartere in La Paa to
tollaborftte in a matter of identification4 They were shown a
metal container in which vere two amputated hands lit a liquid
solution, apparently formaldehyde*
The fingerprint experts tried th* flJuan VuceticTt" syetem used in
Argentina & making papillary BICetches of the fingers, but the
liquid caused th fingertips to wrinlde salting tracing impossible*
They then proceeded to take fingerprint impressions on polyethelene
sheets and in some cases on pieces of latex* thfcBe to be sent to
the Identification Department of the Argentine Police for further
examination*
Th* experts then eoiapared the fingerprints vith the copy o the
prints made rom Guevarars Argentine identity record No* 3+524*27%t
establishing beyond doubt that both prints were from th* same
person. Also checked were prints taken front Guer*rfi at Vallegrande
on October 9, with the same result*
The handwriting export then examined two notebooks in good!
tion. The title page of one read f l W snd its reverse "Carl

i n

75 - Frankfurt
A.M." ThiB
g under the date of J-JHlftrTr 1,
October
7, 1967, Con.idarS S* P"iod of the
itin
e itflelf, and the i ?
^ '
suitable for forfflal
in the handwriting identification
L
1
h
the notebook inscribed
n EIbA
o6j00tt
*

of

Signed by fisteban Belahaufler and Juan Carlos

Eaclosur* Ho, 4
COMMUNIQUE OF TftE AKgEHTrtJE EMBASSY AT LA FAZ

technical epnmlasion detailed by th* Argentine

j t h e rj^uftEt of the Bolivian <3ovirnjaent to prove
identity of the rjn.aiiiB of Er*e*to Guevara has proceeded t o
f t h i t t t n s tr
\
**t W*re provided by the Command^
F()rc fl
*
w1*1* those that were in the hands I f

p P aotlced by th*
d
irjtly in ue*, i t
d
i
irrefutable

La Paz, October 16^ 1967*