CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING DEATH OF CHE GUEVARA (C)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85-00671R000300070013-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 5, 2002
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: July 2, 1971
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved Flease 2002/08121 CIA-R4DP$5-0067003001701 y0
NOTE: This document contain. information
affecting the national def.nss, of the United
States within the meaning of the espionage,
law., Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 793 and 794.
The transmission or the revelation of its
contents in any manner to an unauthorized
person to prohibited by law.
"? ( tlT;N
SECRETtNO FORN DISSEM
(Classification and Control itrktrgs)
1. COUNTRY-BOLIVIA 8, REPORT NUMBER: 6 902 0321
2. SUBJECT: Circumstances Surrounding Death 9, DATE OF REPORT- 2 July 1911
of Che GUEVARA (C)
10. NO. OF PAGES: 2
4. DATE OF INFORMATION: , 16 June 1971
S. PLACE AND DATE OF ACQ: Caracas; 16 Jun Ti
S. EVALUATION: SOURCE INFORMATION
25X1DIA
COL., US ARMA
74
--
14-'APPROVING AUTHORITY: H.L. Kli'U ' TRICK
COL, USAF
Acting Defense Attache
(CNF)Report forwards synopsis of conversation Colonel Federico BRAVO new DIA
Bolivian Military. Attache in Caracas, BRAVO 25X1
stated, he was involved in the killing a
GLWARAs
1. (CNF) Colonel` Federico BRAVO, Bolivian MILATT in Caracas, had a long 2~'XiDIA
conversation with on 16 Tune 1971. In course of conversation
BRAVO stated the fo ow ng: He was in command of the division, an element of
which captured Che GUEVARA. In the incident 15, Bolivians guerrillas were killed,
3 escaped, and Che was wounded in the leg. He stated when he received the report
Che had been captured, he was skeptical and went to the location and actually
saw Che. Colonel BRAVO revealed he immediately notified his higher headquarters
and the President of BOLIVIA. Then, according to BRAVO it was ordered that Che
would be "eliminated" after the President and t}ic Minister of Defense saw him
in person. when the President and Minister left, Col BRAVO selected an, army
captain to kill Che.
IL
e-
WJ1
-,- ' 1410
88. DISTRIBUTION by DR43INATOR1
U;SCINCSO
USARSO
U SDAO La Paz
:'mb Caracas
GROUP 3
+TNGRADED AT 12 YEAR INTERVALS;
NOT AUTOMATICALLY DECLASSIFIED.
This report contain. unproceeaed information.
Plans and/or policies should not be evolved
or modified solely on the basis of this report:
18. ATTACHMENT DATAt
NONE
.wet'! j-,.. ,. ...,.~...r..?. - i t , j= '~
or Release 2002/05)2i'': -F% 106 1 R0d0`3,ti0'007bb13 0:
 Approved For Release 2002108/21 : CIS RDP85-0067.1.R000300070013-0
SBCEiET/No r"u"v Dl3aisM
! '1';1T'r)1i T)(c'~EM
REPORT NO. 6 902 0321.71
PAGE 2 OF 2 PAGES
ORIGINATOR USDAO Caracas
2. (SNF) Col BRAVO related the Captain and his group forged Cho to move xiu
of them and he was shot in the back. Lj V0 states Cho know of their
intent and wept and pleaded for his life stating he wa worth more alive
than dead. This weak showing by Che disgusted the Bolivians.
3. (SNF) According to Bravo, Chets body was burned and cremated to preclude
his remains from being used by the Communists for martyrdom. BRAVO stated
the parents of Che went to claim the remains but were turned down. They
were not told of the cremation, but were simply informed Che was "killed :x.n
action". BRAVO states the Bolivian government fear:r any return his remains as the cremation is lyld r to
purportedly a closely-held sure
secre et.
4. (C) Bio notes on Col! BRAVO 25X'DIA BRAVO is an opportunist and is a f
enc
were based on "expediencies ~, ?3-x c. _ a e most of his assrgnment
nments
He was a 196 1954 member of the C&GSC class
at the School of the Americas. He stayed on as a guest instructor. He was
a classmate of Barrientos. He was the Army G4, then A and commanded a division
for two years. He expects a promotion in Dec 71. His family are middle classed.
BRAVO is the hdmely type. A son is a student 'in the Bolivian Air Force Academy.
A daughter, 22, is in California USA
em
l
d
"
,
p
oye
by a
geodetic" firm. BRAVO
was embittered at the poor reception he received by the Venezuelan MOD.
SECRET/PTO FOItl DISSEM
W
)law: CIA-RDP85-00671 R0003000700;13-0,