Non western Political Thought

Ernesto "Che" Guevara was born in 1928 in Argentina, and originally had plans to become a doctor. However, after a trip through his several different countries in Latin America, he became a political activist, soon to become a revolutionary leader.  While in Mexico, Che met Fidel Castro and become a part of Castro's efforts to overthrow the Batista government in Cuba. Che was a prominent figure in the Cuban Revolution, and was eventually executed by the Bolivian army in 1967. 

Fidel Castro is one of the best known dictators of Latin America. He led the Cuban Revolution that overthrew the Bautista government, and remained as the head of Cuba's government until 2008. Castro established a communist government and policies that led to tense relationships with many other countries, and while some things improved under his rule (like healthcare and education), his dictatorship also instilled a lot of fear through his brutal treatment of anyone seen as an enemy. Castro passed away in November, 2016. 

Pinochet is another famous political figure of Latin America. He was the leader of the military junta that overthrew the socialist government of Chile in 1973, and became the president in 1974. Pinochet wanted to end leftism in Chile, establish free-market policies. In the process, approximately 130,000 Chileans were tortured, killed, or simply disappeared.