Disputed

Did Che Guevara Call for Eliminating All Newspapers?

A damning quote about press freedom attributed to the revolutionary icon

We must eliminate all newspapers; we cannot make a revolution with free press. Newspapers are instruments of the oligarchy.

— Attributed to Che Guevara (Revolutionary icon)

Alleged date: 1959

Reported by journalist José Pardo Llada.

The Verdict: Disputed — The Source Is Uncertain

This quote about eliminating newspapers is attributed to a report by journalist Jose Pardo Llada but lacks a specific, verifiable source. While it aligns with Guevara's ideological positions, the exact phrasing remains unconfirmed.

Database Verification Note

Found in 1 providers: gemini

1 source cross-referenced

The Real Story

After the Cuban Revolution, the Castro government did shut down independent media. Guevara served as president of the National Bank and Minister of Industries, implementing sweeping economic changes. Journalist Jose Pardo Llada, who initially supported the revolution before going into exile, is cited as the source for this quote. However, Pardo Llada's accounts were published after his disillusionment with the regime, and the exact context and setting of the alleged statement are unclear. Guevara's verified writings in 'Guerrilla Warfare' and his speeches do express skepticism of media independence during revolution, but in more theoretical terms. The blunt 'we must eliminate all newspapers' formulation, while consistent with the outcomes of revolutionary policy, may be a sharpened version of more nuanced private remarks.

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