Che, the Prosecutor
With the revolution won, Che Guevara was given several roles in the new revolutionary government. His title as commander of La Cabaña may seem like a minor one given the huge role he played in the victory of the revolution. However, it is this role that so many look to when they declare him a vicious murderer, for La Cabaña is where trials for war crimes were to be held, and Che would be the prosecutor. Most of the top level members of the previous regime had escaped to foreign embassies. Those brought to La Cabaña were were mostly deputies and typical police members of the former regime, including torturers. During these trials, Che's words were final, and it was these words that would determine the fate of many. Many who sat on the council with Che testified that he was very thorough with the trials and nearly never went against the council's decisions. Che entirely occupied himself with the notion of committing revolutionary justice. He went over the evidence presented to him, and if he deemed the acts of the individual in question worthy on the death penalty, he ensured it was given, often taking part in the firing squads himself. During the trials, several hundred were sentenced to death. Pictured here are many prisoners in La Cabaña, with a revolutionary soldier playing his role as guard.
image: (Vilasuso)
info: (Anderson 370-371)
image: (Vilasuso)
info: (Anderson 370-371)