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Ernesto “Che” Guevara at the UN

Back in the day on December 11th, 1964, Argentine-born Cuban revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara addressed the United Nations. As a selected spokesperson for the Cuban government, Guevara arrived to New York two days prior to his speech before the General Assembly. Even though Guevara’s travel aspirations had always sought out the city, his second, and final, incursion into the United States forty-five years ago today, was not welcomed by all. Cuban exiles bitterly denounced him outside of the U.N. as his fiery speech inside denounced colonialism while criticizing the treatment of blacks by the U.S. government. Beyond the protests, a bazooka aimed at the U.N. building was fired off across the East River only to land two hundred yards shy sending up a fifteen-foot geyser of water. Later, Cuban exile Molly Gonzalez broke free from the protest brandishing a knife with a seven-inch blade meant for Guevara before being detained.

Of the bazooka attack, whose explosion could be heard from within the U.N., Guevara remarked that it had, “given the whole thing more flavor.”

For Uprising, this is your truth professa’ saying it’s no mystery why they conceal our people’s history