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Che Guevara's executioner dies 55 years after shooting revolutionary leader dead

Provided by Metro Mario Teran was tasked with assassinating the captured revolutionary in 1967 (Picture: Getty)

The Bolivian soldier who executed Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara has died at the age of 80, according to his friends.

Mario Teran ‘simply complied with his duty as a sergeant of the army’ when he pulled the trigger and killed the famous revolutionary in 1967, retired general Gary Prado said.

Provided by Metro Fidel Castro (left) lights his cigar next to Che Guevara together the pair lead the Cuban revolution (Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Speaking to Radio Companera, Mr Prado, who led the group that captured Guevara, said Mr Teran had died after a long illness.

Guevara, an Argentine physician, achieved mythic status as a leading figure in the Cuban revolution that won power in 1959 under Fidel Castro by toppling dictator Fulgencio Batista.

During the period, Guevara’s image became iconic and is still a symbol beloved by leftists around the world today.

After serving as a senior official in Cuba’s government for several years, Guevara set off to try to lead other insurrections – with less success – in Africa and then in South America.

His small band was finally tracked down by Bolivian soldiers in 1967.

Provided by Metro Fidel Castro (left) lights his cigar next to Che Guevara together the pair lead the Cuban revolution (Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Provided by Metro Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara who was executed in Bolivia in 1967 (Picture: Getty Images)

Mr Teran was chosen to kill Guevara after orders to execute the already wounded revolutionary, then 39, arrived from the capital.

He later described it as ‘the worst moment of his life’.

‘I saw Che large, very large,’ he told reporters.

‘His eyes shone intensely. I felt him coming over me and when he fixed his gaze on me, it made me dizzy….

‘”Calm yourself'”, he told me, “and aim well! You are going to kill a man!”. Then I took a step back towards the door, closed my eyes and fired.’

Biographers said Mr Teran’s first shots missed Guevara’s chest, but eventually hit.

Mr Teran is survived by his wife and two children. 

Reference: Metro: Sabrina Johnson