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Character Role Analysis

Doctor Ferreiro and Pedro/the Rebels

Pedro and the Doc are a lot alike in that they both oppose Vidal and the authoritarian government he stands for. Both characters work to undermine him and both do so against odds they know are not in their favor. But Ferreiro is of the mindset that the rebels fight for a lost cause.

He is looking to mitigate the damage done by Vidal and alleviate human suffering. He helps Carmen with her pregnancy, amputates a rebel's leg, and even euthanizes a torture victim.

But Pedro is doing the exact opposite; he is not trying to mitigate the horror of war: he is the cause of war. He and the rebels are the reason Ferreiro's actions are necessary. They use violence in place of healing to oppose Vidal, even though they know that no small victory will ever win them the war.