UNTIL VICTORY ALWAYS: THE STORY OF CHE'S PHRASE - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

" Until victory always " is a revolutionary phrase that you will have seen on thousands of T-shirts, handkerchiefs, brochures, berets and other symbols related to the author of the quote: Ernesto Che Guevara, icon of the rebellion and the fight against capitalism.

The phrase comes from the farewell letter that Che Guevara gave to Fidel Castro when he left Cuba in 1965 to establish guerrilla forces in Bolivia. Guevara was assassinated in 1967 by Bolivian troops while promoting the revolution in that country.

The story of "Until victory always"

In 1997, Fidel Castro at Che's funeral commented: "His unalterable mark is now in history, and his luminous prophet's gaze has become a symbol for all the poor of this world."

Castro ended the speech with the same words from Che's farewell letter from thirty years ago, "until victory always."

Through the dissemination of this phrase, Che Guevara has become a commodity or a sign that has been somewhat dissociated from its original signifier. "Until victory" implies the fight against capitalism, while the use of the word "always" denotes that the fight is never complete, that it must always continue.

This phrase represents the constant struggle against capitalism, predominantly against the United States.

However, after the "combat" ended in Cuba, this slogan has kept alive the fighting spirit of the revolution by helping to define Cuban culture as one that fights against the imperialists, a myth that it perpetuates thanks to the production of various articles. for mass markets with that phrase and with the image of Che Guevara.

The Cuban people and many others around the world accept this phrase because it is directly attributed to Che Guevara, who is seen as the purest form of the revolution because throughout his life he put the revolution above all else.

Che Guevara's exemplary life as a revolutionary is evidenced through his constant attempts to help the oppressed masses throughout Latin America and later in Africa. He preached the idea of ​​a "new" man. One who would become a fighter to reclaim the land and its resources for the people.

Che's martyrdom allows his words to be a symbol of the ever-present need for revolution. Cubans must participate in this constant struggle until they are victorious. This allows the Cuban government to keep the people participating in this indefinite and shared goal.

The use of Che's image and his famous slogan is not limited to the Cuban revolution, it is also an important producer of money. Both the Cuban government and businessmen outside of Cuba produce articles for mass markets using this phrase and perpetuating the cultural myth of the Cuban revolution.

It's ironic that this rebel leader's famous line has become a marketing phenomenon in capitalist societies around the world.

Biography of Che Guevara

Born in Rosario, Argentina in 1928, Ernesto "Che" Guevara de la Serna studied medicine before traveling to South America, observing conditions that stimulated his Marxist beliefs.

He helped Fidel Castro overthrow the Batista government in the late 1950s and later held key political positions during the Castro regime. Guevara later participated in guerrilla action elsewhere. In Bolivia he was captured and executed in 1967.

Doctor

Guevara was born into a middle-class family on June 14, 1928 in Rosario, Argentina. Although he suffered from asthma, he managed to distinguish himself as an athlete. He absorbed the leftist political views of his family and friends, becoming politically active from his teens when he joined a group that opposed the government of Juan Perón.

Interior Ministry adorned with a steel sculpture of Che Guevara

After graduating from high school with honors, Guevara studied medicine at the University of Buenos Aires, but in 1951 he dropped out of school to travel around South America with a friend.

The poor living conditions he witnessed on his nine-month trip had a profound effect on Guevara. He returned to medical school the following year with the intention of providing care to those in need. He received his title in 1953.

Warfare

However, as Guevara's interest in Marxism grew, he decided to abandon medicine believing that only revolution could bring justice to the people of South America.

In 1953 he traveled to Guatemala, where he witnessed the overthrow of the CIA-backed leftist government, which only served to deepen his convictions.

In 1955, Guevara, who was married and living in Mexico, met Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl, who planned to overthrow the government of Fulgencio Batista.

When their small armed force landed in Cuba on December 2, 1956, Guevara was with them and was one of the few who survived the initial assault. For the next several years he served as Castro's primary adviser and led his growing guerrilla force in attacks against the crumbling Batista regime.

Minister

In January 1959, Fidel Castro took control of Cuba and put Guevara in charge of the La Cabaña prison, where it is estimated that perhaps hundreds of people were executed by Guevara's extrajudicial order.

He was later appointed President of the National Bank and Minister of Industry, and did much to help transform the country into a communist state.

In the early 1960s, Guevara also acted as Cuba's ambassador, traveling around the world to establish relations with other countries (especially with the Soviet Union).

Che was a key player during the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was also the author of a manual on guerilla warfare and in 1964 he delivered a speech to the United Nations in which he condemned American foreign policy and apartheid in South Africa.

Martyr

In 1965, with the Cuban economy in shambles, Guevara left his post to export his revolutionary ideologies to other parts of the world. He first traveled to the Congo to train troops in guerrilla warfare in support of a revolution there, but soon had to leave as he failed.

After briefly returning to Cuba, in 1966 Guevara set out for Bolivia with a small rebel force to incite a revolution there. He was captured by the Bolivian army and assassinated in La Higuera on October 9, 1967.

Legacy

Since his death, Guevara has become a legendary political figure. His name is often equated with rebellion, revolution, and socialism. Others, however, recall that he was ruthless and that he ordered the execution of many prisoners in Cuba without trial.

References

1. Delgado F. The rhetoric of Fidel Castro: ideographs in the service of revolutionaries (1999). Howard Journal of Communications.
2. Guevara E. Farewell letter from Che to Fidel Castro (1965). Recovered from: marxist.org.
3. Kagarlitsky B. The fight for Che's legacy (2003). Recovered from: tni.org.
4. Lowry M. The Marxism of Che Guevara (1973). New York: Monthly Review Press.
5. Pratkanis A, Aronson E. Age of propaganda: the everyday use and abuse of persuasion (1991). New York: WH Freeman and Company.
6. Petras J. Che Guevara and contemporary revolutionary movements (1998). Latin American Perspectives.
7. Spencer A. Until victory always: the ongoinh rhetorical revolution in Cuba (2007). Oklahoma: Texas Speech Communication Journal.