Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s Bolivian executioner has died at the age of 80, according to his friends.

Mario Teran was part of the group that captured the famous revolutionary guerrilla in 1967 after a months-long pursuit.

The mission was led by then general Gary Prado, who said Mr Teran “simply complied with his duty as a sergeant of the army”.

Speaking to Radio Companera, he said Mr Teran had died after a long illness. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Guevara was an Argentine physician who was a leading figure in the Cuban revolution that won power in 1959 under Fidel Castro, toppling dictator Fulgencio Batista.

He served as a senior official in the Cuban government for several years, before he set off to try to lead other insurrections in Africa and South America.

‘Calm yourself and aim well’

Ukraine war: Boris Johnson tells Sky News he fears Vladimir Putin may use chemical weapons as it is ‘straight out of Russia’s playbook’

Ukraine-Russia live updates: Putin admits sanctions have ‘created problems’ – as talks end in Turkey without progress

Ukraine war: Putin ‘deliberately targeting’ civilians and could even carry out limited nuclear strike on Ukraine, UK ambassador warns

An already wounded Guevara and his small group were finally tracked down by Bolivian soldiers and Mr Teran was chosen to execute him after an order from the capital.

The revolutionary was 39 years old at the time of his death.

The sergeant later said it “was the worst moment of my life”.

“I saw Che large, very large. His eyes shone intensely. I felt him coming over me and when he fixed his gaze on me, it made me dizzy.

“‘Calm yourself’, he told me, ‘and aim well! You are going to kill a man!’. Then I took a step back towards the door, closed my eyes and fired.”

According to Guevara’s biographers, the first shots missed his chest but he was eventually hit.

Related posts:

India records world’s highest daily deaths as its top COVID expert warns third wave ‘inevitable’ Pope rejects German cardinal’s offer to resign over Church sex abuse crisis Chris Eubank’s son, Sebastian Eubank, found dead days before 30th birthday Malta requires proof of vaccination before allowing visitors to enter Sydney to allow quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated Australians At least 15 killed in suicide bombing at mosque in Afghanistan 17 American missionaries, including children, kidnapped by gang in Haiti Biden and Xi Jinping’s chummy ‘Zoom’ meeting masked the frostiness, tension and mistrust ‘There is no panic’: Ukrainian actors vow to ‘carry on’ as Russia’s troops sit on the border Tributes for swimmer killed in Sydney shark attack who ‘made the earth better’ Gabriel Bach, trial prosecutor of notorious Nazi Adolf Eichmann, dies aged 94 Emotional reunions as Australia opens border to tourists