Luke LaManna

Rodriguez agreed. He was surprised at how emotional he felt. He'd spent much of his adult life hating Guevara and everything he represented. He'd spent months tracking him down through the Bolivian mountains. But seeing an emaciated and wounded Guevara in front of him stirred him. Guevara was facing imminent death, and he was handling himself with courage and grace.

Rodriguez agreed. He was surprised at how emotional he felt. He'd spent much of his adult life hating Guevara and everything he represented. He'd spent months tracking him down through the Bolivian mountains. But seeing an emaciated and wounded Guevara in front of him stirred him. Guevara was facing imminent death, and he was handling himself with courage and grace.

Rodriguez found himself almost admiring him. Rodriguez hugged Guevara and stepped outside the schoolhouse where a sergeant named Mario Teran was waiting. He told Rodriguez he was volunteering to be the executioner. His unit had engaged in a firefight with Guevara's men the previous day, and Teran had lost three friends. Teran was here to avenge their deaths.

Rodriguez found himself almost admiring him. Rodriguez hugged Guevara and stepped outside the schoolhouse where a sergeant named Mario Teran was waiting. He told Rodriguez he was volunteering to be the executioner. His unit had engaged in a firefight with Guevara's men the previous day, and Teran had lost three friends. Teran was here to avenge their deaths.

Rodriguez shoved aside any lingering emotions he was feeling. He told Tehran that he could only shoot Guevara from the neck down. No shots to the face. It was imperative that it looked like Guevara had been shot in combat, not executed. Tehran nodded and entered the schoolhouse. Rodriguez walked up a hill. Moments later, he heard a barrage of gunfire ring out. He checked his watch.

Rodriguez shoved aside any lingering emotions he was feeling. He told Tehran that he could only shoot Guevara from the neck down. No shots to the face. It was imperative that it looked like Guevara had been shot in combat, not executed. Tehran nodded and entered the schoolhouse. Rodriguez walked up a hill. Moments later, he heard a barrage of gunfire ring out. He checked his watch.

Che Guevara was killed at 1.10 p.m. on October 9, 1967.

Che Guevara was killed at 1.10 p.m. on October 9, 1967.

A few days later, Rodriguez was back in the United States. Inside CIA headquarters, he laid a Rolex watch on the desk of his superior. It was one of Guevara's, a souvenir of Rodriguez's time in Bolivia. Rodriguez then debriefed his bosses about what had happened after Guevara was executed. He told them how he had flown with Guevara's body on the helicopter to Valle Grande, the closest city.

A few days later, Rodriguez was back in the United States. Inside CIA headquarters, he laid a Rolex watch on the desk of his superior. It was one of Guevara's, a souvenir of Rodriguez's time in Bolivia. Rodriguez then debriefed his bosses about what had happened after Guevara was executed. He told them how he had flown with Guevara's body on the helicopter to Valle Grande, the closest city.

Guevara's corpse was taken to a hospital, where an autopsy was performed. The biggest debate had been what to do with the body. Bolivian army policy was to disappear the bodies of any guerrillas killed and bury them in unmarked locations. Cuba and Guevara's family doubted the Bolivian reports that Guevara had been killed, so the military wanted to prove that he really was dead.

Guevara's corpse was taken to a hospital, where an autopsy was performed. The biggest debate had been what to do with the body. Bolivian army policy was to disappear the bodies of any guerrillas killed and bury them in unmarked locations. Cuba and Guevara's family doubted the Bolivian reports that Guevara had been killed, so the military wanted to prove that he really was dead.

One colonel suggested decapitating Guevara and preserving his head as proof. but Rodriguez had argued that was too barbaric. He advocated that they remove only one finger. The fingerprint could be used to prove it belonged to Guevara. Ultimately, a compromise was reached, and they removed his hands.

One colonel suggested decapitating Guevara and preserving his head as proof. but Rodriguez had argued that was too barbaric. He advocated that they remove only one finger. The fingerprint could be used to prove it belonged to Guevara. Ultimately, a compromise was reached, and they removed his hands.

A pair of Argentine forensic experts compared the fingerprints from the severed hands to the fingerprints they had on file for Guevara. It was a positive match. Finally, Cuba, Che's family in Argentina, and the rest of the world knew Guevara really was dead. Rodriguez and his colleagues at the CIA held their breath as they waited to see how the world would react.

A pair of Argentine forensic experts compared the fingerprints from the severed hands to the fingerprints they had on file for Guevara. It was a positive match. Finally, Cuba, Che's family in Argentina, and the rest of the world knew Guevara really was dead. Rodriguez and his colleagues at the CIA held their breath as they waited to see how the world would react.

Nine days after Che Guevara's death, his brother-in-arms, Fidel Castro, stood in Havana's Plaza de la Revolución. He eulogized the dead revolutionary in front of close to a million people who gathered to mourn. Castro couldn't hide his emotion. This wasn't the Cuban leader, the dictator. This was a man who lost someone important to him.

Nine days after Che Guevara's death, his brother-in-arms, Fidel Castro, stood in Havana's Plaza de la Revolución. He eulogized the dead revolutionary in front of close to a million people who gathered to mourn. Castro couldn't hide his emotion. This wasn't the Cuban leader, the dictator. This was a man who lost someone important to him.

Castro described Guevara as a model human being, the type of person revolutionaries and their children should aspire to be. Castro hailed him as the human embodiment of the revolutionary spirit. Any disagreements they had about the best approach to revolution were irrelevant. Behind him hung a huge banner with Guevara's portrait.

Castro described Guevara as a model human being, the type of person revolutionaries and their children should aspire to be. Castro hailed him as the human embodiment of the revolutionary spirit. Any disagreements they had about the best approach to revolution were irrelevant. Behind him hung a huge banner with Guevara's portrait.