Forum on Guevara just part of U.S. rebranding

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Saturday, 04.25.09
ARGENTINA
Forum on Guevara just part of U.S. rebranding

A U.S.-sponsored discussion of the branding of Ernesto ''Che'' Guevara signaled a new approach to Latin America.
BY VINOD SREEHARSHA
Special to The Miami Herald

BUENOS AIRES -- The U.S. charm offensive in Latin America took a small but provocative step forward on Friday when the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires sponsored two readings of a new book that explains the enduring iconic power of Ernesto ''Che'' Guevara.

U.S. taxpayers funded the discussion at the Buenos Aires 35th International Book Fair of the Argentine revolutionary who dedicated his life to armed struggle against capitalism and imperialism. For one day at least, photos of Guevara shared space with the Stars and Stripes. Dozens attended, including local grade school students.

Mara Tekach, the embassy spokeswoman, said that the United States was simply promoting free expression.

Che's Afterlife: The Legacy of an Image, by journalist Michael Casey, is one of the first books on a rarely discussed aspect of Guevara -- his branding and why it has endured for more than four decades.

The embassy's decision comes at a time when President Barack Obama is trying to refashion how Latin Americans perceive the United States. Easing restrictions on visits to Cuba and his handshake with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez at last weekend's Summit of the Americas had enormous symbolic value in the region.

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Casey contends that Obama's new approach and emphasis on ''soft power'' can make a difference in how the United States is perceived in the region.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/1016809.html