Che: Part Two (2008)

The film Che: Part Two (2008), directed by Steven Soderbergh, tells the story of Argentine Marxist revolutionary Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara. In Part Two, titled Guerrilla, we see Guevara’s efforts to bring revolution to Bolivia and his eventual downfall. The film follows the timeline of his time in Bolivia, starting with his arrival in La Paz on 3 November 1966. Disguised as a middle-aged representative from Uruguay, he meets with his men in the mountains. As the days pass (Day 26 and Day 67), we see the strong bond among Guevara’s followers despite being a foreigner. However, by Day 100, things take a turn as he is betrayed and faces challenges such as being mistaken for a drug smuggler and lack of support from the Bolivian Communist Party led by Mario Monje. Despite these difficulties, Guevara remains disciplined and works to resolve conflicts within his group.

By Day 113, several guerrillas have deserted and led the Bolivian Army to the revolutionaries’ base camp. The camp was well-stocked with food and essential supplies, as well as intelligence revealing that many of the group members were Cuban. Unfortunately, Che’s trusted revolutionary contact, Tamara ‘Tania’ Bunke, had compromised their elaborate preparations and exposed their true identities. On Day 141, the guerrillas managed to capture Bolivian soldiers who refused to join their cause. These soldiers were allowed to return to their villages. Meanwhile, Bolivian President René Barrientos sought assistance from the United States. As a result, CIA and US Army Special Forces advisers were sent to Bolivia to oversee anti-insurgent activities and train the Bolivian Army.