Alberto Granado, Che Guevara’s companion in ‘Motorcycle Diaries,’ dies at 88

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Alberto Granado, who accompanied Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara on a 1952 journey of discovery across Latin America that was immortalized in Guevara’s memoir and the film ‘The Motorcycle Diaries,’ died in Cuba on Saturday. He was 88.

Granado, an Argentine who had lived in Cuba since 1961, died of natural causes Saturday morning, according to Cuban state-run television, which gave no other details.

Granado and Guevara’s road trip, begun on a broken-down motorcycle they dubbed La Poderosa, or ‘The Powerful,’ awoke in Guevara a social consciousness and political convictions that would help turn him into one of the most iconic revolutionaries of the 20th century.

They both kept diaries that were used as background for the 2004 movie, produced by Robert Redford and directed by Walter Salles.

Granado was born Aug. 8, 1922, in Cordoba, Argentina, and befriended Guevara as a child.

As young medical students, the two witnessed deep poverty across the continent — principally in Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.

They parted ways in Venezuela, where Granado stayed to work at a clinic treating leprosy patients. Guevara continued to Miami, then returned to Buenos Aires to finish his studies.

Guevara would later join Fidel and Raul Castro as they sailed from exile in Mexico to Cuba in 1956. Their small band of rebels ultimately toppled dictator Fulgencio Batista on New Year’s Day 1959.

Granado visited Cuba at Guevara’s invitation in 1960 and moved to Havana the following year with his family, teaching biochemistry at Havana University. He had lived in Cuba ever since, maintaining a low profile.

Guevara was captured and killed by soldiers in Bolivia in 1967.

--Associated Press