<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In following the story of an older man's return home and his romantic follies with two of the boys he meets, </span></em><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">La Virgen de los Sicarios</span></em><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> shows the result of failed political power struggles decades in the making. The film takes place in a brutal Medellin where the aftermath of Pablo Escobar's system of power and control left a city full of inhabitants practiced in exercising violence for livelihood. So innate was this culture of violence and killing that it bled into personal lives, relationships, and even religion. Even Fernando becomes entranced in it that he slowly loses his scruples against the almost whimsical murders committed by his lovers.</span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This cycle of violence had no recent beginning. Worsening sectarian clashes gave birth to La Violencia in the late 1940's. From political disagreement to social revolution, violence and assassination were used as retaliation against opposing political parties (Hylton 42).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hailing as "Latin America's most regressive historical development at mid-century," La Violencia set a precedent for institutionalized acts of cruelty without boundaries (48). </span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A regressed and divided state left room for the blooming drug industry to move into the political field. By the late 1970's/80's the economic pull of the drug lords held high levels of influence over the regions benefiting directly from trafficking profits(Vargas 109). The Medellin depicted in </span></em><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">La Virgen de los Sicarios</span></em><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> is a direct result of this. The vacuum left by Pablo Escobar's death hearkened somewhat to the vacuum Escobar himself used to gain political footing, however, in the impoverished Medellin, the absence of both state infrastructure and promise of wealth causes violence to be one of the few providers of power influential enough to attempt filling the hole left by Escobar. The street gangs depicted in the film battle for power within the city. Already so accustomed to violence in their lives, they kill easily for safety and status.</span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This notion is seen also through Fernando's romantic relationship with Alexis and Wilmar. Both boys attach themselves to the author quickly upon discovering his wealth and the potential comforts to be had as his companion. They move to kill others on a whim if they felt it would please or appease Fernando.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exchanges of affection are few and far between, but those do not seem to outweigh the underlying relationship of control. Throughout the film Fernando slowly becomes accustomed not only to the violence of his hometown, but also to the power he exercises over the boys. His influence buys their companionship, trust, and even for awhile, enjoyment of the violence and danger imposed by their defending him. Despite impending danger, Fernando was enthralled enough in his position to not remove Alexis from the city, even though his wealth could have easily done so. Even when<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fernando discovers Wilmar is Alexis's murderer, he accepts the notion that Alexis's previous murder of his brother was justification enough. And Wilmar, in turn, ignores the fact his lover was that of a man he killed. While he may indeed have wanted to remain for love, it is more likely he had grown attached to the comforts of Fernando's influence.</span></em><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6330293596542621957-8947033173409827734?l=sboatman.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
