The peasant must always be helped technically, economically

The words of Che Guevara — “The peasant must always be helped technically, economically, morally and culturally. The guerrilla fighter will be a sort of guiding angel who has fallen into the zone, helping the poor always and bothering the rich as little as possible in the first phases of the war.” — carry the fiery conviction of a man who believed revolution could be born from compassion as much as from struggle. They remind us that the strength of a movement lies not only in its weapons but in its bond with the humble, the forgotten, and the oppressed. In this vision, the peasant is not merely a bystander but the very heart of the cause, and the guerrilla fighter is not merely a soldier, but a servant, a teacher, and a protector.

This teaching is rooted in the soil of Latin America, where Guevara fought and dreamed of liberation. He saw that revolutions are not sustained by ideology alone, nor by the clash of armies, but by the trust of the common people. If the fighter does not uplift the poor, then his war is empty. If he does not share his bread, his knowledge, his courage, then he is only another invader in their eyes. Thus, Guevara insisted that the guerrilla must be like a guiding angel, earning loyalty not by fear but by service.

History provides us with vivid examples of this truth. In Cuba’s Sierra Maestra mountains, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara gathered a small band of revolutionaries. At first, they were few and hunted, but they won the confidence of the peasants by offering medical aid, teaching letters, and defending them against exploitation. The people, in turn, became their shield and their source of sustenance. Out of this bond grew a movement that overthrew a regime far more powerful than themselves. Without the goodwill of the poor, their revolution would have withered like a seed in barren soil.

The wisdom here is both strategic and moral. Strategically, no guerrilla can endure without the support of those who till the land and know its secrets. The peasant provides shelter, food, and guidance through forests and mountains. But morally, the duty is even higher: to honor the dignity of the poor, to make them feel seen, to help them rise from misery. For revolution that does not uplift the weak is no revolution, but only another form of domination. Che’s words remind us that the path of justice begins not with seizing power, but with serving those who have none.

Yet the quote also reveals a measure of restraint. Guevara counseled that in the first phases, the rich should be bothered as little as possible. Why? Because the struggle must first build its roots among the people, not provoke overwhelming opposition before it has the strength to endure. The lesson is patience: a revolution must grow like a tree, putting down deep roots in the soil of the people before it stretches its branches against the sky.

What, then, can we learn for our own lives? Not all of us are guerrilla fighters in the mountains, yet each of us moves in a world of inequality. The lesson is that true leadership begins with service. If you would transform your community, begin by helping the poor technically, economically, morally, and culturally — share knowledge, offer kindness, uplift dignity. Do not wait for grand battles; begin with small acts of solidarity. And in the early stages of any endeavor, do not squander your strength in unnecessary conflict. Build trust first, and let your actions speak.

So let Che’s words echo not merely as a call to arms, but as a call to the heart. Be a guiding angel where you are — one who teaches, heals, and uplifts. Bind yourself to the humble, for in their strength lies the seed of all lasting change. And remember always: the greatness of any struggle is measured not by the enemies it defeats, but by the lives it raises from despair into hope.