Cuba Internacional - Prensa Latina (cover illustrator: Rene Mederos), "Tiempo del Che," Cuba Internacional magazine, No. 10/81, October 1981. Offset print.

Cuba Internacional No. 10/81 commemorates the 15th anniversary of Che Guevara's death with the cover story "Tiempo del Che" (Time of Che). Cover illustrator Mederos creates a vibrant, stylized portrait of a young guerrilla fighter wearing Che's iconic beret, rendered in warm flesh tones against a dynamic background of tropical foliage in deep greens, golden yellows, lavender purples, and turquoise blues. The illustration captures the youthful idealism and natural setting of guerrilla warfare, with the lush vegetation symbolizing both the Sierra Maestra mountains where the revolution was won and the jungles of Bolivia where Che met his death.

The artistic treatment differs markedly from the stark, photographic Che images typically used in revolutionary iconography. Mederos' illustrated approach softens Che into an everyman guerrillero—young, determined, alert—emphasizing how Che's example inspired a generation of Latin American youth to join revolutionary movements. The stylized tropical leaves create a sense of movement and vitality, suggesting ongoing struggle rather than static martyrdom.

The issue's diverse content reflects Cuba Internacional's mission to present multiple facets of Cuban society and international solidarity. Major features include "XV Aniversario: Tiempo del Che" examining Che's legacy fifteen years after his October 9, 1967 death in Bolivia, and "Cara a cara con Ernesto Guevara Lynch" (Face to Face with Ernesto Guevara Lynch), an interview with Che's father. "Dos relatos del Che" (Two Stories of Che) presents personal narratives, while "Cubanos en Angola" documents Cuban internationalist missions supporting the MPLA government against South African-backed UNITA forces.

Additional coverage includes "México de Raúl" examining Mexican politics and culture, "De hombres y dioses" (Of Men and Gods) exploring religious themes, "Cecilia" about Cuban cinema, and "En el gran relieve angolano" (In the Great Angolan Relief) detailing Cuba's extensive military and civilian presence in Angola. Sports coverage features "Rafael Fortún" in the "Gloria del Deporte" (Glory of Sport) section, while "Santa Clara" profiles the Cuban city where Che won his most decisive revolutionary battle and where his remains would eventually be interred in 1997.

Published by Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana - PRENSA LATINA under director Aurelio Martínez, this October 1981 issue appeared during a period of renewed revolutionary confidence, with Nicaragua's Sandinista victory fresh (1979), and Cuban forces actively supporting liberation movements in Africa and progressive governments in Central America. The magazine continued to serve as Cuba's premier international publication, distributed through subscriptions and cultural centers worldwide to present Cuban perspectives on domestic achievements and Third World solidarity struggles.