"It is necessary for every urban guerrilla to keep in mind always that he can only maintain his existence if he is disposed to kill the police and those dedicated to repression, and if he is determined to expropriate the wealth of the big capitalists, the latifundists and the imperialists.

The minimanual became an important tool and reference point for Marxist–Leninist guerrillas, and was also studied extensively by national liberation movements and organizations such as the Sandinistas of Nicaragua.

During the 1980s, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) sought to better understand and combat terrorist movements and anti-government armed militancy more effectively.

For Marighella, the fundamental characteristic of an urban guerrilla was participation in the armed struggle and the expropriation of lands belonging to major capitalists and landowners.

As part of the urban guerrilla "learning process," Marighella advocated preliminary assaults and raids on targets like armored cars, planes, boats and especially banks.