journey takes him to a Venezuelan brothel, where he tends to an ailing English prostitute, but his true awakening to the plight of the Indians does not reach fulfillment until meeting Anselmo Quintana in Mexico. This former priest reveals the essence of revolution: forging political structures blending Indian and Spanish traditions.

The Unfolding Mystery

In a denouement tinged with mystery, the veils over Bustos' endeavors are partially lifted. Ultimately, he encounters Ofelia Salamanca, yet the meeting is anticlimactic. In her waning health, she entrusts her son—whom Bustos once feared he had killed in Buenos Aires’ blaze—to his care. His sight, however, is not fully restored. He remains oblivious to the boy's true parentage—his friend Manuel Varela's son, born of a two-year affair with Ofelia. As he returns to Argentina, the campaign concludes with Ofelia’s memory laid to rest, leaving Bustos to face an ordinary life anew.

The Struggle for Independence

Between the years 1810 and 1820, the struggle for independence in South America was spearheaded by impassioned young men hailing from the aristocratic landowning elite, among them the likes of Baltasar Bustos and his companions. These fervent leaders were fiercely committed to the cause of liberty, though their vision of freedom was largely confined to the boundaries of their own social class. The plight of the lower classes was often overlooked, and the notion that indigenous people might deserve rights was scarcely entertained.

Bustos and the Irony of Liberation

Bustos, in his heart, genuinely believes he desires freedom for all. In the highlands of Upper Peru, when he encounters the indigenous people, he delivers a stirring oration inspired by the ideals of Jean Jacques Rousseau. He speaks of a harmonious union between man and nature, advocating for universal equality. Yet, he comes to a sudden realization: few of his audience comprehend Spanish, and even fewer can grasp the complexities of his philosophy.

In the chaos of battle, Bustos commits a shocking act—his first victim is an indigenous man, slain solely for his identity. This brutal "acte gratuit" plunges him into deep introspection, leading him to grapple with profound insights about his own nature.

Baltasar Bustos strides through life as a modern-day Don Quixote, ever on the lookout for gallant escapades and his own vision of a beloved Dulcinea. Drawing inspiration from the literary world, Fuentes has likened Bustos to Pierre Bekuzov, the rotund and bespectacled hero found within the pages of War and Peace. Unlike Pierre, who is held captive by Napoleon's forces rather than fighting the battle himself, Bustos channels the essence of Voltaire's Candide, journeying through a seriocomic tale where a young dreamer grapples with the complexities of the human condition.

Exploring the Wars of Independence

In 1989, Gabriel Garcia Marquez presented The General in His Labyrinth, a poignant exploration of the Wars of Independence. The narrative follows Simon Bolivar, the Great Liberator, as he is carried downriver and into the shadows of exile, all the while battling a mortal illness that foreshadows his end. Bolivar's grand vision of uniting South American nations remains an unrealized dream, as the liberated lands fracture into discordant, independent states. His passing is shrouded in despair. This novel, sharing the literary stage with Fuentes' own The Campaign in 1990, is whimsically referenced towards the conclusion of Fuentes' tale. Varela, a character within, dismisses a manuscript sent from Colombia, deeming it too bleak to publish. Yet, Fuentes himself maintains a slightly brighter outlook on the tumultuous era of the Wars of Independence.

In many ways, Fuentes emerges as the philosopher of revolution, weaving his narratives around this tumultuous theme with remarkable consistency. Among his literary aspirations is a tale centered on Emiliano Zapata, a revered figure of the Mexican Revolution. Fuentes sometimes appears to hold the belief that the nations of Latin America are ensnared in a relentless cycle of revolutionary conflict, destined to replay their tumultuous histories in accordance with Nietzsche's concept of eternal recurrence.

In stark contrast to characters like Federico Robles and Artemio Cruz, who falter and abandon their revolutionary ideals, Baltasar Bustos remains steadfast, his spirit undiminished and his ideals intact.