CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING DEATH OF CHE GUEVARA (C)

Document Type: 
Collection: 
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
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
July 2, 1971
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP85-00671R000300070013-0.pdf245.05 KB
Body: 
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,