At 07:15 this Thursday Mario Terán Salazar passed away, a soldier identified as responsible for the death of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevaraon October 9, 1967 in La Higuera, south of Vallegrande (Santa Cruz).
The information indicates that the retired non-commissioned officer lived in Santa Cruz and was interned at the Military Social Security Corporation (Cossmil), afflicted by illnesses typical of his age.
“Today at 07:15, Bolivian time, Senior Petty Officer Mario Terán Salazar passed away in Cossmil Santa Cruz. To his wife, his sons and daughters, my deepest condolences for such an irreparable loss.”, Posted Raúl Azurduy, pastor of the evangelical church close to the family.
His photo became known worldwide in 1967, captured by the French journalist Michele Ray. According to the Military Historical Research Institute of Bolivia, Terán participated in the operation to capture ‘Che’.
According to an account published in October 1967 by the magazine paris matchthe then sergeant, after the capture, he received the order to open fire against the guerrilla.
“That was the worst moment of my life. At that moment I saw ‘Che’ big, very big, huge. His eyes shone brightly. I felt him on top of me and when he stared at me, he made me dizzy. I thought that with a quick movement ‘Che’ could take the gun from me. ‘Get calm – he told me – and aim well! He’s going to kill a man!’ So I took a step back, towards the threshold of the door, I closed my eyes and I fired”, Terán recounted at the time.
retired general, Gary Prado Salmón, who led the operation to capture ‘Che’ Guevaraconfirmed to EL DEBER the news about the death of Terán, who the day before was “dispossessed” by the medical personnel who attended him.
“Yes, they told me last night that he was evicted, yes, it’s true, he passed away. He was a brave man, who graduated from the School of Sergeants in 1961. I kept in touch with him, what worried him most was the harassment of the press, because he wanted to remain anonymousbecause he simply voluntarily complied with the decision that came from the presidency,” he said in telephone contact.
At 07:15 this Thursday Mario Terán Salazar passed away, a soldier identified as responsible for the death of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevaraon October 9, 1967 in La Higuera, south of Vallegrande (Santa Cruz).
The information indicates that the retired non-commissioned officer lived in Santa Cruz and was interned at the Military Social Security Corporation (Cossmil), afflicted by illnesses typical of his age.
“Today at 07:15, Bolivian time, Senior Petty Officer Mario Terán Salazar passed away in Cossmil Santa Cruz. To his wife, his sons and daughters, my deepest condolences for such an irreparable loss.”, Posted Raúl Azurduy, pastor of the evangelical church close to the family.
His photo became known worldwide in 1967, captured by the French journalist Michele Ray. According to the Military Historical Research Institute of Bolivia, Terán participated in the operation to capture ‘Che’.
According to an account published in October 1967 by the magazine paris matchthe then sergeant, after the capture, he received the order to open fire against the guerrilla.
“That was the worst moment of my life. At that moment I saw ‘Che’ big, very big, huge. His eyes shone brightly. I felt him on top of me and when he stared at me, he made me dizzy. I thought that with a quick movement ‘Che’ could take the gun from me. ‘Get calm – he told me – and aim well! He’s going to kill a man!’ So I took a step back, towards the threshold of the door, I closed my eyes and I fired”, Terán recounted at the time.
retired general, Gary Prado Salmón, who led the operation to capture ‘Che’ Guevaraconfirmed to EL DEBER the news about the death of Terán, who the day before was “dispossessed” by the medical personnel who attended him.
“Yes, they told me last night that he was evicted, yes, it’s true, he passed away. He was a brave man, who graduated from the School of Sergeants in 1961. I kept in touch with him, what worried him most was the harassment of the press, because he wanted to remain anonymousbecause he simply voluntarily complied with the decision that came from the presidency,” he said in telephone contact.
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