Allusion

• "In Mar del Plata we had visited a doctor friend of Alberto's who had joined the [Peronist] party." ((38)
• This alludes to Peronist party. This was a party that was quite popular in the 1950's-1960's. It was a nationalist party of sorts. The Peronist party began as a widely accepted idea, but then became a "burden of ideology". This quote alludes to the political unrest that was occurring in Latin America at the time. 
• "For a moment as I left, victorious, or so I thought, Otero Silva's lines rang in my ears..." (36)
• This alludes to one of Guevara's favorite poem (which he mentions many times in this book). Otero Silva was left-wing Venezuelan poet. This also alludes to the political revolution occurring at the time.
• "Soon we had taken our positions with the necessary gravity in the fire engine "Chile-Espana"..." (65)
• Almost every fire brigade has a sister city or country. This alludes to how much Latin American culture is influenced by the countries from which it originated. It also shows how dependent Latin America is on these countries (Spain).
• "...built in homage to those Peruvians who died in the war with Chile." (89)
• Referring to the "Nitrate Wars". This was a conflict between Chile, Bolivia, and Peru. This was a war over the fact that national borders had not yet been established.
• "From the cathedral, the peals of the Maria Angola rung out for the first time since the earthquake." (111)
• This alludes to a bell that is in the Cathedral of Cuzco in Cuzco, Peru. The bell was made in 1655 and it weighs about 6 tons. The melodies played can be heard for more than 30 kilometers.