The Secret Agent

A former teacher who arrives in Recife during carnival under an alias Marcelo. He is a political dissident sheltered by Dona Sebastiana, pursued by corrupt authorities and hired killers. His search for clues about his late mother India and his precarious safety drive the story’s tension.

A compassionate host who shelters Armando and other refugees during carnival, offering protection and solidarity. Her home becomes a fragile refuge amid political danger and social upheaval.

One of the political refugees sheltered by Dona Sebastiana. She embodies resilience and solidarity within a tight-knit group of newcomers facing dictatorship and exile.

Another refugee taken in by the shelter. He shares the burdens of displacement and the dangers that accompany the carnival period.

Angolan Civil War immigrant who joins the refugee community in Recife, carrying memories of a distant conflict and the struggle to find safety.

A Jewish Holocaust survivor living under suspicion in the city; harassed by the police chief and mistaken for a Nazi fugitive, he endure hostility while seeking safety.

Corrupt chief of police whose arrogance and power put Armando and others at risk; his actions illustrate the reach of state-backed violence during the dictatorship.

Son of Euclides; involved in disposing a human leg and tied to the period’s violence, highlighting how personal ties to power enable brutality.

Euclides’ son, implicated in the broader web of crime and state-backed manipulation during the carnival turmoil.

Local gunman hired to locate Armando; his pursuit escalates risks for both sides, culminating in a violent confrontation.

Hitman hired to kill Armando by a powerful patron; embodies the reach of private violence funded by political power.

Partner of Bobbi in the assassination plot; their actions in pursuit of Armando illustrate the mercenary violence surrounding political risk.

Armando’s son, now a middle-aged doctor; he has no memory of his father or childhood, reflecting the lasting gaps caused by the past.

Armando’s late wife; her memory hovers over the present, as Armando raises their son and the past intrudes in family stories.

A doctor involved in the present timeline; her role intersects with the hospital setting where memories of Armando’s era surface.

A figure encountered in the city’s turbulent moments; his presence underscores the everyday people who cross paths with Armando’s story.