Gary Prado Salmon was named a national hero in Bolivia after he led the military operation to capture and execute the revolutionary in the country in 1967.

Alongside Fidel Castro, Guevara was a major leader in the Cuban communist movement and was shot dead a day after his capture by order of the then right-wing military Bolivian government.

Mr Salmon's team, known as the Bolivian Rangers, were trained by the US Green Berets, who were told to prepare locals for a fight against guerrilla tactics in the region.

Since 1981, Mr Salmon had been in a wheelchair, after being accidentally shot in the spine by another officer.

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Writing on social media, Mr Salmon's son Gary Prado Arauz, wrote: "He was accompanied by his wife and children.

"He left us a legacy of love, honesty and mettle. He was an amazing person."

He added: "For him capturing Che was not the most important thing he did in his life - rather, it was to contribute to making the armed forces a democratic institution that would respect the constitution and laws."

The former general had been in hospital since April suffering from health complications and was receiving treatment.