Who was Ernesto "Che" Guevara?

Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of Argentinean guerilla Ernesto "Che" Guevara's execution at the hands of the Bolivian armed forces, and opinions about the revolutionary are just as divided today as they were four decades ago.

Since his death, the photograph of Che that the Maryland Institute of Art called, "the most famous photograph in the world and a symbol of the 20th century" has appeared on T-shirts, hats and posters across the country and has become one of the most identifiable images ever reproduced.

Next year, it seems the popularity of the figure will only increase as two films chronicling the life of the revolutionary are released, with Benicio Del Toro starring as Guevara. As memorial celebrations start today in Cuba and other South American countries, many people are examining Che’s legacy and the lasting influence of the man behind the photograph. In Cuba, Castro and many citizens still embrace the revolutionary figure:

HAVANA: Fidel Castro paid homage to Ernesto "Che" Guevara as an "exceptional combatant" as many of the Argentine guerrilla's relatives and former comrades gathered in central Cuba on Monday to mark the 40th anniversary of his capture and killing in Bolivia.

"I halt in my daily combat to bow my head, with respect and gratitude, to the exceptional combatant who fell on the 8th of October 40 years ago," Castro wrote in the essay, which was also published Monday in the Communist Party daily Granma. "I give him thanks for what he tried to do, and for what he could not do in his country of birth because he was like a flower yanked prematurely from its stem."

The sentiment of Cuban citizens stands in stark contrast to the opinions of many people in Miami, including Cuban-born CIA agent Felix Rodriguez, who helped capture Guevera. It seems that aside from Cubans and other countries that typically have anti-American policies, most hold the opinion that Che was a bloodthirsty killer:

So who is this man New Yorkers by the thousands are canonizing and celebrating? He is an anti-democratic demagogue at best - and a murderous thug at worst.

Other critics of Che and those who idolize him are a little harsher with their comments:

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the execution in Bolivia of Argentine-born Ernesto “Che” Guevara while trying to foment a Cuban-style revolution among the peasants of Bolivia. The peasants turned on him.

For some inexplicable reason he is now a hero to Hollywood leftists and countless numbers of spoiled rich, white kids. At least some capitalist is profiting on his image printed on t-shirts. I wonder if the terrorist would have grasped the irony there.

So, was Che a hero or villain? It depends who you ask, but it seems most informed opinions point toward the latter.