OSPAAAL Journée du guerillero héroique Che - 8 Octobre Circa 1970

Created circa 1970, this original poster by Elena Serrano was produced for OSPAAAL (Organization of Solidarity with the Peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America) to commemorate the “Day of the Heroic Guerrilla”, observed each year on October 8 in honor of Che Guevara. The date marks the final stage of Guevara’s Bolivian campaign and became a powerful symbol of revolutionary commitment and international solidarity throughout the developing world.

The poster presents a striking and highly stylized portrait of Che Guevara superimposed upon the map of Latin America. Concentric geometric frames radiate outward from his image, creating a visual effect that suggests both the spread of revolutionary ideas and the enduring influence of Guevara’s legacy across the continent. Rendered in vivid shades of red, blue, green, and violet, the composition combines political symbolism with the experimental graphic language characteristic of OSPAAAL publications.

Following Che Guevara’s death in Bolivia in 1967, his image rapidly evolved into one of the most recognizable political icons of the twentieth century. Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, Cuba promoted his memory as a symbol of anti-imperialism, internationalism, and revolutionary struggle. OSPAAAL posters played a central role in this effort, distributing powerful visual messages to activists, students, and solidarity movements around the world.

Elena Serrano’s design reflects the innovative spirit of Cuban graphic art during this period. Rather than employing traditional realist imagery, she uses bold color contrasts, layered forms, and optical effects to transform Che’s portrait into a universal symbol. The map of Latin America reinforces the notion of continental unity, while the repeated framing creates a sense of expanding influence that extends beyond national borders.

OSPAAAL posters were printed in Havana and often folded into issues of the organization’s multilingual magazine, allowing them to circulate internationally. Today they are regarded as some of the most significant examples of Cold War political graphic design, admired for their artistic creativity as well as their historical importance.

This poster is particularly notable for its sophisticated visual construction, its celebration of Che Guevara as the “Heroic Guerrilla,” and its embodiment of the international solidarity movement that characterized much of Cuba’s cultural production during the late twentieth century. It remains a compelling artifact of revolutionary art and political communication.

Original Poster

Politics - Communism - Cuba

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