There are several different groups of main characters in State of War.

Among the young characters, there is Anna Villaverde. She is a rebel against the government and was recently tortured. She had rebelled against the Commander and, during martial law, was taken captive by the authorities due to her allegiance to Manolo Montreal. Montreal was the leader of an oppositionist party who rebelled against the Commander and was presumed dead during the violence of the revolution. Because of Villaverde's ties to Montreal, she is tortured by the military government and, in particular, by Colonel Urbano Amor. Amor is a leader in the military and envies the young characters for a variety of reasons.

Adrian Banyaga is a young man with wealth and social standing behind him. His family is well-connected and knows the elite and political leaders, and therefore he personally has influence and sway with the leaders around him. He is a rebel as well and sides himself with Anna. He was set up with her by Eliza Hansen, and eventually he and Anna have a child together, though he is crippled during the assassination attempt.

Eliza Hansen is the third member of the group, and she connects the trio together, initially acting as Anna and Adrian's matchmaker. She is familiar with many of the political elite and performed "special favors" for politicians and the wealthy prior to turning against them and plotting to assassinate the Commander.

Manolo Montreal, the former leader of the rebellion, in reality is alive during the events of the novel and has turned against his former cause. He now supports the Commander and conspires against the young rebels and attempts to betray them. When their plans go awry, however, Anna manages to find and kill Montreal prior to his deceit.

The Commander is the final character. He acts more as an idea than a true character, as he is the embodiment of the enemy and the violent state the characters are in.