A large statue of Ernesto Che Guevara is now the major attraction at the university avenue of Portoviejo, in the Ecuadoran province of Manabi, after being unveiled at a large activity commemorating the 45th anniversary of his assassination.

The activity was attended by Cuban Brigadier General Harry Villegas (Pombo), Che's companion in the Sierra Maestra mountain range and the guerrilla actions in Congo and Bolivia, Cuban ambassador Jorge Rodriguez, and Ecuadoran authorities.

Prior to unveiling the work by Manabi sculptor Ivo Uquillas, impressive for its realism and force, the Argentine physician Milko Figueroa, a graduate of Cuba's medical program, spoke to the several hundred people at the gathering.

Figueroa, a member of the Che Guevara Brigade, along with four other medical graduates from the Havana-based Latin American School of Medicine, carried out a motorcycle tour of South America, demanding the release of the five Cuba antiterrorist fighters unjustly held in the United States.

Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez, Ramon Labañino, Gerardo Hernandez and Rene Gonzalez were arrested on September 12, 1998 in the U.S. city of Miami. A trial plagued with irregularities was held there in 2001 where the five were condemned to long prison terms, including one that is two life sentences plus 15 years.

Many cultural groups performed until dawn at this truly revolutionary party, in which participants mixed classic songs dedicated to Che along with other melodies sung and danced to by young people attending this event in Portoviejo.