1. He Was Raised To Sainthood Upon His Death
Che's legacy can certainly be taken as a mixed bag. On the one hand, he was a liberator, a man of the highest socialist and communitarian ideals, who's political philosophy was moulded by an inherent empathy for the sick, poor and exploited. Yet, one must consider he was a man ultimately in favour of violence, perpetuating mass executions, an unskilled bureaucrat and a man whose legacy and image cannot be viewed without the obvious ironic twist. Che is still a revered figure in Cuba and South America, though. The most successful aspect of his political legacy is perhaps not his revolutionary struggles, but his communist principles that drove a policy of nationalisation. Bringing health and education under the ownership of the State has undoubtedly increased standards of living across Cuba. Healthcare is now universally available at point of access, and education is no longer a two-tiered system for the benefit of the privileged and empowered. Indeed, Che's educational reforms are still lauded today, with school children lining up before the Cuban flag and chanting in unison: "Pioneers for communism. We will be like Che." Cuba now boasts amongst the highest literacy rates in the world, with a 99.8% for adults and 100% amongst children. His empathy and fight for the struggles of rural communities has also had a profound effect. Che felt it was his duty to represent the interests of the forgotten rural countryside and distribute the benefits of society towards them. As such, he remains a sanctified figure, with rural South American depictions of Christ bearing uncanny resemblance to Che, whilst prayers and wishes are expressed to his memory in the hope of inspiring some form of divine intervention.