Hyderabad: Dr Aleida Guevara, daughter of Cuban revolutionary hero Che Guevara, has reflected on the life of her father as a guerilla fighter, women empowerment in Cuba post the revolution and her plans to write a book on her revolutionary father. In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Dr Aleida Guevara, who along with her daughter Prof Estefania arrived in Hyderabad for her India visit a few days ago, shared her experience of living with a revolutionary hero, her father Che Guevara. Here are a few excerpts.
ETV Bharat (EB): What are your memories with your dad?
Aleida Guevara (AG): He left for Congo when I was four and a half years old. My father was killed in Bolivia when I was about seven years old. He was a guerrilla fighter. Participating in volunteer work on weekends, he worked to bring awareness to the people. He used to wake me up at 5 a.m. and take me to harvest in the sugarcane fields.
I used to eat sugarcane and listen to what he was telling the farmers. My father used to carry me on his back like a horse and play with me. My mom taught me how to love my father even though he was away. When I was 16, I was given a handwritten diary to read. It was not said who wrote it. As I read it, I got absorbed in it. Later I came to know that it was my father who had written that diary. I started reading his books later on.
EB: What are the special features of Che Guevara's 'Bolivian Diaries'?
AG: The last thing I read was 'Bolivian Diaries'. Tears did not stop while reading. The last page of the diary is the last day of his life. If you read his diary, you will understand that no matter how many obstacles and hardships you face, you should not lose hope for the future. It is an excellent book in my opinion. He was a lover of the downtrodden. He is known to love oppressed human groups all over the world. Currently, I am writing a book called 'Cheguvera... Medicine'.
EB: What is your relationship with Cuban communist patriarch Fidel Castro?
AG: His and mine is a father-daughter bonding. After my father died, Castro took care of me. I spent more time with him than with my father. Castro was late for my wedding in 1987. By the time he arrived at 11.30 pm, my wedding was already over.
EB: What is the scenario of women's rights in your country?
AG: A women's federation was formed at the beginning of the revolution in Cuba. Women have 100 per cent equality with men. Both get equal pay for equal work. Girls and boys participate equally in all kinds of competitions, sports, and cultural activities. Women make up 72 per cent of Cuba's medical workforce. The statuses are equally enjoyed in the higher positions.
There are strong laws to protect the rights of women. There is paid leave of two months before delivery and up to 9 months after delivery. After that another 3 months' leave can be taken with 75 per cent pay. A new law is being framed under which a mother can take leave with full pay for up to 6 months after delivery and then return to work. From there the father has to take responsibility for the baby for 6 months.
EB: How did Cuba survive economic sanctions?
AG: The US economic embargo once crippled the Cuban economy in every way. They were able to keep Cuba under their control for 50 years. The quality of lands remained in American hands. Cuba is a casino in American eyes. Our country is used for money laundering. As a result of years of fighting, conditions in Cuba have changed. If we can provide doctors to other countries... we can understand how much we have grown in terms of education and medicine. What is now a socialist society is unique to Cuba. If we deviate from this... America will destroy Cuba.
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EB: Che Guevara's theories are followed in many countries. How do you analyze this?
AG: There are many pictures of him in the world. He is also worshipped in places like Iran. They did not know that he was a communist. One wonders how such a contradiction is possible. You can take whatever you like in Che Guevera. But he was a complete communist. He worked with that theory all his life. He lived and died as a communist. This is a fact that can never be changed.
EB: What has been done to strengthen the medical system in Cuba?
AG: Even superpowers were affected due to the Corona. Cuba has provided medicines to the countries of the world. I am a paediatrician. I went to Angola and provided medical services. Cubans do not hesitate to serve no matter what the obstacles are. There are four hospitals in Qatar, and most of them have Cuban doctors.
Another Cuban medical team is serving in the Caribbean country of Haiti. If the Haitian people are not in a position to pay, we are paying a part of the money we receive from Qatar to Haiti. There is a Cheguevara Memorial Hospital in Bolivia and 80 per cent of the doctors working here are Americans. They treated the natives with discrimination.
When the Cuban doctors went there, the discrimination decreased. We started the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba. There, medical education is provided completely free of cost to the students of Latin American countries. So far 17 thousand people have been trained and have become proficient in the field.
This is a remarkable development in recent times. We are providing 14 immunizations free of cost to children. The infant mortality rate has drastically reduced from 60 to five. 'Born poor, die rich' is our motto. Because the government is providing us with social, economic, educational, and medical facilities.
