Current debates in comparative politics - Book Report/Review Example

THE PRESIDENT Insert Insert The piece of work inform of a novel, en d the president and ed by Miguel Angel Asturias depicts the state of dictatorship leadership. The writer scrutinizes how evil from influential political leaders run down into the people at their homes and even on the streets. Though it is not clear whom the writer was talking about, the happenings in the novel were more of the acts of the president of Guatemala Manuel Estrada Cabrera a well-known dictator. The dictatorship runs from the beginning and almost all characters are victims of the act. More killings, escapades, accusations and plotting are major cases in the story. The head of judiciary who was presidents ally was chief investigator and could rule according to the presidents wish. A homeless peasant Zany murders Colonel Parrels Sonriente "the man with the little muse", a highly ranked official in the government at the steps of the cathedral. The president plotting begins and took this as a chance to pin a lawyer Abel Carvajal and General Canales for the murder because they were government enemies. To cover up the real murderer, and achieve the target, the police forced the people who knew the truth (the homeless peasants) to say that it was the general and the lawyer who had committed the murder. Though some like, Mosquito, insisted that Zany committed the murder, they were brutally killed. "Ungrateful beasts!" He added under his breath. "I loved and shall always love Parrales Sonriente; I was going to have made him general, because he trampled on my country men and humiliated them, and if it hadnt been for my mother he would have finished them off altogether and avenged me for all the grudges I bear against them, things I alone know about. Now that people are plotting against my life on all sides, my friends are deserting me, my enemies increasing and - no, no! Not a stone be left standing ..." (Asturias 1964). The president is brutal and merciless and believes that all that he says must be undertaken without questioning, by not upholding the presidents rule of law, mosquito was murdered. General Canales escaped by the help of Miguel Angel Face, which was a set up so that he would eventually prove that he is guilty of the murder. To execute the plot, Miguel used Genaro Rodas and Lucio Vasques to kidnap the general’s daughter Camilla and bring her to her uncle’s house safely. Miguel had alerted Camilla the general’s daughter to shout for help during their invasion and that will enable his father escape. "Whether youre guilty or innocent is irrelevant, General; what matters is whether youre in favour or not with the President; its worse to be an innocent man frowned on by the Government that a guilty one" (Asturias 1964). More arrests and torture continued more assistants of Miguel Angel Face and their lovers were arrested. The women were sold in the flesh market. Senora Rodas the wife to Genaro Rodas was arrested as he was found at the general’s house as she tried to alert him of the possible arrest. She was taken for questioning on the generals whereabouts but she said that she arrived when he had already escaped but the judge due to his brutal nature made her crash quicklime for hours, which lead to an innocent baby’s death since he could not take breast milk due to sharpness of lime. Abel Cavajal the lawyer was sentenced to death and his burial site was a top most secret even his wife was not shown (Asturias 1964). The president used other people to execute others not knowing they will be the next victims. Lucio Vasquez murdered zany and received a death penalty at last. Genaro Rodas was released and was instructed to watch Miguel Angel Face. A love story develops a love that never was. Camilla was reported sick and Miguel chose to look after her and through this felt in love with her. This made the president very furious and made a plot to separate Camilla from Miguel. Immediately after their official wedding Miguel was sent on a mission to Washington to gather information on what is being said about the president and was promised that his wife will join him at Washington soon. On the ship to Washington, Miguel was transferred into a train beaten and taken to prison. His wife waited patiently for communication from Miguel but all in vain. She later learned from people that his husband was safe in Washington which was a lie to make her belief that her husband had abandoned them. To get back at his husband, Camilla married the president. The president in the novel, the president, wishes to show the world that his citizens democratically elected him to power. He uses monologues, reverie sequences and most of indirect languages to state changes his regime will implement during his reign. “That the welfare of the Republic depends upon the RE-ELECTION OF OUR ILLUSTIOUS MANDATORY AND ON NOTHING ELSE BUT HIS RE_ELECTION! Why hazard the ship of State in unknown waters, when we have at its head at present the most accomplished Statesman of our day, whom History will salute as a Great man among Great men, a Wise man among wise, a Liberal, a Thinker and a Democrat?? Even to imagine any other than Him in this high office amounts to an attempt upon the Destiny of the Nation ( which is our own destiny); and whoever dares to do so - if any such there be - deserves to be shut up as a dangerous lunatic, or if he is not mad, tried as a traitor to his country according to the law !! FELLO CITIZENS, THE BALLOT-BOXES ARE WAITING!!! VOTE !!! FOR !!! OUR !!! CANDIDATE !!! WHO !!! WILL !!! BE !!! RE-ELECTED !!! BY !!! THE !!! PEOPLE !!!” (Asturias 1964). Reference Asturias, Miguel Angel. 1964. El Señor Presidente. New York: Atheneum. Read More