Ernesto “Che” Guevara was a prominent communist figure in the Cuban Revolution (1956–1959) who went on to become a guerrilla leader in South America. He was a physician, author, diplomat, and military theorist. Known for his strong beliefs and ideology, many of his quotes have become emblematic for movements of social justice. Here, we list down 20 of his most popular quotes:
Quotes by Che Guevara
- “The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.”
- “The true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality.”
- “I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man.”
- “I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves.”
- “Silence is argument carried out by other means.”
- “In a revolution, one wins or dies.”
- “We cannot be sure of having something to live for unless we are willing to die for it.”
- “If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine.”
- “Words that do not match deeds are not important.”
- “The life of a single human being is worth a million times more than all the property of the richest man on earth.”
- “The only passion that guides me is for the truth… I look at everything from this point of view.”
- “I would rather die standing than live on my knees.”
- “One must endure without losing tenderness.”
- “At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love.”
- “One has to grow hard but without ever losing tenderness.”
- “If you have the capacity to tremble with indignation every time that an injustice is committed in the world, then we are comrades.”
- “We have no right to believe that freedom can be won without struggle.”
- “I do not care about the death, it’s the bug that attracts me.”
- “You can only be free if I am free.”
- “When the oppressed peoples do not have weapons, the oppressors will provide them.”
These powerful statements reflect Che Guevara’s commitment to global revolution and social justice. His ideologies continue to be a beacon for many who fight against injustice and advocate for equality.