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IN BOLIVIA, ON THE TRAIL OF "THAT"

Vallegrande - "Papa Cansado," Pope 'and' tired. Curious code to announce the capture of enemy number one, that devil of a "Che." The announcement on the radio, on October 8, twenty-eight years ago, was given to the then Colonel Mario Vargas Solis by a Cuban, a big man, tall and big that everyone knew the CIA as "Max Gomez." Officially, the catch was credited to the General Gary Prado Salmon, battalion commander, but everyone knew that the substance was Cuban. It was he to get to Guevara. A few days earlier he had taken three guerrillas in the mountains, he could be told the hiding place of the head and then killed them, all three in cold blood.
Now "Max Gomez," which in reality 'is called Felix Ismael Rodriguez, lives north of Miami. Protagonist of the Iran-contra, he worked for three decades with the CIA, especially in Latin America but also in Vietnam. In his large house in Florida showed off many of those who pompously called "war trophies". Del "Che" preserves think about it, the ash from the pipe of the guerrilla shortly before his death. The last smoked. The ash is in a hole ' carved into the handle. Shows it to everyone. Deny the wrist instead of "Che" just killed ripping 'the clock. And yet that extreme violence was a witness. A primary school teacher, the only one who could '- in addition to the military - to see and talk to the "Che" in the last hours of his life. Then he taught school in La Higuera where he led the guerrilla arrested. Now living in Vallegrande, where we traced.
is called Julia Cortez. Although it is now close to fifty years still has that beauty that is said, conquered 'Che. She has a son. His name and 'Ernesto, just as "my commander" means the name is still so'. When he gets excited talking about. Remember: "It was noon, October 9, 1967. There was much confusion. I turned to the school. I sent the kids home. I was intrigued. Everybody said it was a devil, however, seemed so young, despite his beard, his face was almost a boy. He stared at me. At one point my name, 'asked me to join him. But we were not alone, there were soldiers. We managed to stay only a minute the next day, before they kill him. Her voice was sweet and penetrating. I do not trust 'no secret, we never spoke about politics. Just think, had a knife hidden in his pants, no one had noticed, were all euphoric capture, neither shall they searched. A silver knife. He said, look at him, and 'the only precious thing and I 'remains. And gave it to me '. Then he ate a bowl of soup. It 'nice to eat together, smiled. I asked the CIA when they were going to kill him and I look 'strange' cause you ask? 'Cause the radio and said' already 'been killed. She did not answer. A few minutes later killed him really but I could not see who shot '. "Officially, the performer was the sergeant Mario Teran M-12 rifle. But there' was the Cuban who says that the CIA and others, read it soon, accrediting new versions. schoolteacher Julia Cortez From the last memory, almost a will. " Before the shots, behind the door, I heard the captain shouting: 'Tell Fidel that soon the revolution will triumph' and that ' America Latin America will be able to 'live finally happy'. "
To reach Vallegrande need to cross the Sierra in Bolivia. Inextricable own land warfare. The roads are impossible. From Santa Cruz, it takes seven hours by car to climb up to two thousand meters. Vallegrande has six thousand inhabitants, but it seems little more 'than a village. houses available, one floor, inhabited by Indians hard, tough. We turn to the dusty streets invaded by stalls and ask for "Che." These parties have no doubts: " that 'and' buried here, on either side of the airport.
When we discover that this is just a track. I mean 'a fallow field that was used as a military runway. Not only was also the headquarters of the army. For those days there were hundreds of holes: there are now. We accompany the police commander of Vela Luka, a guy who just complains, "You know how many we ? Five policemen around, me and four others. How can we control a territory so 'large?" suddenly shouts: "They stole Che." Exaggerates, of course, but in fact there are signs of recent excavations. Someone has tried a search at night. Lieutenant Rodimiro Guzman takes issue with two of the army came from the capital. Do the names but please do not put me into trouble. A few days after the mission becomes official: President de Lozada sent twenty-eight soldiers from La Paz to dig among the mimosa trees. They dig for days. There 's also a supertestimone, an army sergeant that night - they say - maneuvering the excavator. But you hide it carefully. Send only to say that he is afraid, 'cause all those who "knew the secret are over evil, strange deaths."
It 's the curse of "Che"?
"But what curse," Bloss protest Erich, a German agricultural engineer who has been here since '66. Is to look around at the airport. Vizio old: he was taking the first photo of the corpse to the hospital. " I was a civilian but I managed to slip on. There are many shadows on this story - trusts -. For example, General Salinas, one that has reopened the case? His name 'was bound for years at most drug trafficker Bolivia, Roberto Suarez. We should know more 'about certain characters. Something is wrong:. But he thinks it's all a hype? " No, quite the contrary. Maybe we could finally know some truth '.
Mysteries. There are many. One concerns Tania, the companion of the last adventure of the "Che." It should be buried in the cemetery, but turn strange voices. The cemetery and 'behind a ruined wall, a few meters from the runway and the excavations. The Guardian and 'Domingo Ocampo Vidaurre. We ask him to Tania. Or heroine, as they whisper, a spy in Moscow? Tania Tamara Bunker was, but within 'in Bolivia as Laura Bauer. It 'true that' buried here? "I do not know - we respond to surprise -. on what should be its grave, 'the name disappeared during a night of storm. Some say that his body 'was taken away. I'm only here for ten years, I do not know the truth '. And no one allows me to discover it. Besides, who cares now? It is not 'no one ever came looking for her, never .
Back in the village. We find a man, a former guerrilla. " I fought with Che, although I've never known " he admits. And' safe " The body is here, I have told all my mates. And saw him with his head, it 's never been beheaded. Perhaps also the hands. As Dr. Martin made me realize that run 'operation, the cut was only indexes for the prints to be given to the Americans. Unfortunately, Dr. Martin can not 'more' talk. E 'dead .
try the Senor de Malta hospital. Behind the new structure, there' still the old hospital. We cross a courtyard. The doctor who gives us a guide shows us where the bodies were taken to the guerrillas killed. He 'convinced that they were seven. " Guevara and six others. I do not understand 'cause everybody says five. They remained in the yard and instead of Guevara was taken to the laundry .
The old laundry room still exists, is a few meters. E 'became a place of worship. We find graffiti on the walls and peeling yellow. The writing more' frequent and also obvious stresses that "El Che living. "A few signatures, the inscriptions are almost all anonymous," Seguiremos adelante, seras our estrella "(we'll follow you, you will be our star)," Asasinato, you seguimos camino "," El Che esta sus ideas with this. "And the most 'beautiful' What: eres de los muertos que nunca mueren "(We are the dead who do not die).
Remember that picture? The body of Che on the stretcher, stripped to the waist, with eyes open. After he shot these images (by the operator was a mythical Hermes, who still works in Mexico), the corpse was given to two nurses who washed him, preparing him for burial. We have found one of those two nurses. Her name is Susana Osinaga. Abita more in Vallegrande. It 's not yet old, although a frezza through all the white hair.
" that night. I remember very well. It was three. And we were young. Che had a bullet hole in the right temple and another to the heart. The soldiers who were near us told us that the shooting was all a lie. Che had been killed with a gun by Colonel Zenteno. An act of rage because 'Guevara had spat in his face. When and' arrived, the officers made us leave all the other patients think of him. we have taken pants, everything. Curious, she had three pairs of socks, it was cold in the mountains. We washed and then we put a new pajamas. Those white eyes and open them I have inside, looking like watching us. And that beard kinky. It was beautiful, like a Christ. I have also said that he had betrayed a country because 'the guerrillas stole the chickens. But the people loved him, and knew how many people 'come this evening .
And where is he now? " do not know. At dawn they came to pick him up. When I was left in one piece. I do not know where they took .
Gia ', "from which goes to estar el pobre What?", Where' the poor man? Asks us-and ask-Mayor Hoover Cabrera. But if it 's true that and 'buried in his country, wants to stay here. " of Guevara's daughter, Aleida, reminded that his father often said that the guerrillas have to rest them' where they are killed. And we are ready to build a mausoleum. I also want that on 8 October of each year is commemorated his death .
A project only seems noble and romantic. The mayor has already 'in fact received a substantial offer to exploit the tourist potential discovery. The idea 'organization in Milan, the "Coop" (for "Italian cooperation), which has been operating for years in Cochabamba. Barduagni Paul, and that' the coordinator, has clear ideas: the project can 'go ahead even if the Guevara's body is not found. It 's ready in fact a general promotion of the area. The backbone should be "Ruta del Che", a journey of Che which affected this route. 1) Camp Central Nancahuazu where Guevara's fund 'its guerrilla war formally on November 7, 1966, 2) Samaipata, the first village occupied, to say the first win, 3) Vado del Yeso, the first crushing defeat, 4) Quebrada del Yuro, the canyon where Che was captured, 5) La Higuera, where he was detained and killed, 6) Vallegrande hospital, where the corpse was shown to the world; 7) where (maybe) and Che 'buried.
And if the research went to the airport empty? No problem, "rue" stops at the point you are. Also because 'the mayor Cabrera is not' willing to give up the offer: six hundred thousand U.S. dollars, nearly a billion dollars. It 's true, "What pobre, poor man.
Pino Scaccia (1995 )