ALTAGRACIA, Argentina, July 22.—Seated on the wall of the house porch, hands gripping the edge, legs hanging out of his shorts and a fixed gaze in the direction of the gate, as if anticipating this long-awaited reunion, Ernesto received his brother Fidel and Hugo Chávez, who, without any doubt, would have been an ideal friend for sharing long conversations and Latin American dreams.

They approached him, imagining the indomitable guerrilla in his childhood, during which he always had to wear a woolen vest on account of his asthma, as reflected in the bronze sculpture that guards the family home, to which he was brought in search of a more agreeable climate.

Fidel and Chávez, awaited by more than 1,000 townspeople, toured every room in the Casa Grande—as friends named the Guevara de la Serna dwelling— and where in the 1940s children ran in and out in constant play and in hours of study, competing to see who would be the best student of the 4th and 5th grade in the Santiago del Liniero school.

On this occasion, speaking about Ernesto were Enrique Martín, Ariel Vidosa, "el Ariel" to whom Dr. Guevara confided when he learned about his son, and the talkative "Calica" or Carlos Ferrer, with whom he took his second trip through Our America after having won a bet of completing in just one year, the 12 courses that he was missing to finish his medical degree. But Che did not finish the trip to Caracas "because destiny" brought him to Jacobo Arbenz’ Guatemala.

His little bed was there in his room and on its walls were hung his grades from school and Medical finals. There Chávez asked Fidel to guess what grade Che got in Parasitology, and without thinking, the latter responded: "the highest, because he was always interested in that topic."

Where Fidel wasn’t right was in the subject that the Bolivarian leader jokingly called "Barrio Adentro; in other words, Clinical Medicine," where Che managed a pass.

Fidel, as always, was sure to ask Ada Ventre, the director of the Museum, every detail: from where the family came to how much a kilowatt of electricity cost back then, because she didn’t know the current price as "her husband is in charge of that." Upon seeing a photo of Ernest, at just a few months old, he commented, "I was two years old when he was born."

Before a large photo of Rosario with the children, he inquired about what they do, what his brothers and sisters studied, and reflected with Chávez about the strength that emanated from the face of his mother and of her influence on the Che’s character. At that moment he turned and asked her who took the portrait photo.

Calica told him that his father, a pneumologist, was Ernesto’s doctor during his years in Altagracia. Fidel quickly asked with a sly smile how much he charged for the service. "Nothing, we were like family."

The conversation coincided with the entrance of Laura Vizarte, from the first graduating class of the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) who still cannot practice because her degree has not been validated.

"I have come on behalf of the three residents of this town who studied medicine in Cuba to express to you and the Cuban people our most profound appreciation not only for the education we received free of charge, but of having lived in the country that displays more solidarity and equality than any other in the world."

Laura explained that at this moment she is training to participate in Operation Miracle in Bolivia, of which Fidel showed his approval. But Chávez, jokingly said "Come work in Barrio Adentro thus provoking his Cuban friend to warn, "Hey, Hugo, that’s ‘brain drain’," causing the Bolivarian to burst out laughing.

At 1:10 pm, Fidel and Chávez arrived at Avellaneda between Emilio Zola and Riglio, where the people, crowded outside the old Guevara home lined by cypress trees, anxiously awaited them.

Neighbors who had waited since early in the cold morning to see the leaders up close cheered when they were indulged. The applause was tremendous when they stood together with Che’s childhood friends for a photo in front of the image of little Ernesto.

Inside, in the last moments, Fidel and Chávez signed the Visitor’s Book four times, turn and turn about.

First, was the signature of our President and when Chávez went to sign under it Fidel said, "sign above" and the Venezuelan rebel not only signed but also challenged his brother to write "Patria..." and the other climbed onto the stand to add "...or Muerte" and immediately wrote "Hasta..." so that Chávez could complete the phrase with "...la victoria siempre," followed by an embrace that moved everyone.