Dr. Aleida Guevara, a Cuban health expert, and daughter of the Argentine guerrilla leader, has been invited to Derry.

The Cuban health expert has been cordially invited to Northern Ireland by Derry councilor Gary Donnelly.

Dr. Guevara, who is also a campaigner for human rights, is due to visit Ireland soon. Her father Che was one of the principal architects of the Cuban revolution almost 60 years ago. Donnelly extended the invitation to  Dr. Guevara in recognition of her "revolutionary icon" father and his "struggle and sacrifice on behalf of the poor".

The politician added that he was impressed by "Aleida’s ongoing advocacy for human rights".

The decision has been backed by Sinn Féin's Christopher Jackson, who said his party had always stood in solidarity with the Cuban revolution, remarking upon the achievements of its socialist health system despite the US blockade.

‘We were just a normal family’: Che Guevara’s daughter remembers her father https://t.co/yNdQaD23x5

— The Guardian (@guardian) December 8, 2017

Martin Reilly of The Social Democratic and Labour Party agreed, saying that the opportunity was a way to learn from a broad range of expert opinions. 


However, according to the Derry Journal
DUP Alderman Graham Warke said he would not support the move due to the late Mr. Guevara’s involvement in “murder and torture”. Warke was reminded by Independent politician Darren O’Reilly that the invite was to Dr. Guevara and said his remarks were “disrespectful.”

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Che Guevara was famously proud of his Irish ancestry. In 2017, the Irish post office released an official stamp to honor Guevara. 

The decision was considered highly controversial and widely condemned at the time.

Read More: Anger over Irish decision to honor "mass murderer" Che Guevara with stamp

Read More: The truth about Che Guevara - you will be surprised