Homeland or Death, 1964: an Anti-Imperialist Statement

The paragraphs presented are from Ernesto Che Guevara’s speech at the U.N. entitled “Homeland or Death” which was given in 1964. The speech follows the revolution in Cuba five years prior and notes the introduction of three new nations to the United Nations. Guevara was a Marxist-Leninist revolutionary that had traveled much of Latin America, becoming increasingly radicalized by the wealth inequality, imperialism, and exploitation he witnessed. With Fidel Castro and others, he overthrew the Batista dictatorship in Cuba and proceeded to build a Marxist-Leninist Socialist state. This speech given at the U.N. rhetorically fights for anti-imperialism (especially regarding the U.S.) and the freedom of all nations around the world.

Guevara highlights the hypocrisy of imperialism and westernized perspectives. The presented section from his speech exemplifies this hypocrisy by comparing Belgium’s invasion by Nazi forces during World War II to the exploitation of the Congolese people by Belgium. He suggests that while people of all nations can recognize the injustice of the Nazi invasion, many are blind to the injustice of Belgium. Guevara’s speech has strong nationalist sentiments for individual nations to break free of imperialist rule. The speech also serves partially as a warning to Imperialist powers to beware the coming anti-imperialist surge especially in South Asia. Guevara’s words would come to fruition as the U.S. would continue to push its influence on smaller and less developed nations around the world.

Works Cited

PBS. “Che Guevara (1928-1967).” Accessed February 9, 2021. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/castro-che-guevara-1928-1967/

Ernesto Guevara, The Motorcycle Diaries (1951).

Primary Source:

Ernesto Guevara, Homeland or Death (1964).

Emerson Kent. “Homeland or Death.” Accessed February 6, 2021. http://www.emersonkent.com/speeches/homeland_or_death.htm (Full English translation available here)