Harry "Pombo" Villegas (10 May 1940 – 29 December 2019) was a Cuban revolutionary best known for his close association with Ernesto "Che" Guevara and for his later work documenting revolutionary struggles. Born in Yara, Cuba, he joined the insurgent forces that fought to overthrow Fulgencio Batista and remained active as a guerrilla fighter through several international campaigns.

Early life and revolutionary activity

Villegas came from a rural background in Yara, a town in eastern Cuba. He entered the struggle that culminated in the 1959 revolution and earned the respect of comrades for his resilience under fire. During the 1960s he continued to serve alongside Che Guevara, participating in military operations in the Sierra Maestra and later in overseas missions. He gained the nom de guerre "Pombo," the name by which he is widely remembered in accounts of the period. His association with Che Guevara extended from battlefield command to long-term political solidarity.

Campaigns and service

Villegas was involved in both African and Latin American guerrilla campaigns in the 1960s and 1970s, including operations that attempted to export revolutionary methods beyond Cuba’s borders. As a combatant, he was noted for surviving harsh conditions and for his role in small-unit leadership. After active field service he remained linked to Cuba’s military and veterans’ organizations, sharing experience with younger cadres and participating in commemorative activities.

Writings and historical work

In later decades Villegas turned to writing and historical reflection. He contributed memoirs, interviews, and essays that describe daily life in guerrilla units, command decisions, and his perspective on Che’s campaigns. His publications and public talks served both as personal testimony and as source material for historians studying mid-20th-century revolutionary movements.

Legacy and death

Harry Villegas is remembered as one of the longer-surviving members of Che Guevara’s inner circle, a participant in several of the revolution’s most famous episodes and a chronicler of that experience. He died in Havana on 29 December 2019; reports and remembrances noted his contributions to Cuba’s revolutionary history and the preservation of first-hand accounts of guerrilla warfare (reports on his death).

  • Also known as: Pombo
  • Born: 10 May 1940, Yara
  • Died: 29 December 2019, Havana (coverage)
  • Associations: Close comrade of Che Guevara, Cuban revolutionary and historian