The legend of Pombo, one of Che Guevara's guerrillas
The legend of Pombo, one of Che Guevara's guerrillas
"Pombo", survivor of the guerrillas led by Che Guevara in Bolivia and man of his utmost confidence, has died in Havana.
Harry Villegas Tamayo, “Pombo,” died in Havana. He was one of the five survivors of Che's guerrillas in Bolivia, and a man of his utmost confidence.
Born in Yara in 1940, Villegas joined the guerrilla forces of the July 26 Movement at a young age, integrating the guerrilla column led by Commander Che Guevara, whom he accompanied throughout the revolutionary war.
After the triumph of the Revolution on 1 January, Villegas continued to accompany Che as head of his escort, and in 1965 he accompanied him, as part of the Cuban detachment supporting the guerrilla following Patrice Lumumba in the Congo.
In 1966 he was selected by Che, who assigned him the name "Pombo", as a member of the chosen detachment of men who would accompany him in the creation of a guerrilla focus in Bolivia. After the ambush of Quebrada del Yuro, where Che Guevara was wounded and taken prisoner, before being killed by order of the CIA, Pombo managed to regroup the other 4 surviving guerrillas, and lead them to Chile, from where they returned clandestinely to Cuba in 1968.
More:
https://anfenglish.com/news/the-legend-of-pombo-one-of-che-guevara-s-guerrillas-40472
Harry 'Pombo' Villegas with Che | Photo © Facebook / Wilson Tejada,
Che Guevara's wife Aleida, in the center.
General Harry Villegas, Pombo dies in the Che Guevara guerrilla
Posted on Sunday, December 29, 2019 - 2:25 PM (GMT-4)
Cuban General Harry Antonio Villegas Tamayo, "Pombo", a guerrilla fighter from Che Guevara in the Sierra Maestra, Congo and Bolivia, died at dawn this Sunday in Havana, at age 79, a victim of multiple dysfunction of organs, according to official sources.
Pombo's death was confirmed from the early hours of the day by several accounts of government journalists and government officials through social networks.
He was the only fighter who accompanied Che in all his guerrilla campaigns from the Sierra Maestra, passing the African incursion of Congo - where he acquired his nickname - and then in Bolivian lands.
Villegas was one of three Cubans who escaped the military siege that annihilated Che's guerrilla in October 1967, and ended with the death of the Argentine fighter at the hands of Bolivian military in the town of La Higuera.
More:
https://www.cibercuba.com/noticias/2019-12-29-u1-e196568-s27061-muere-general-harry-villegas-pombo-guerrilla-che