Fate is always excessive: it punishes a moment of distraction, the random act of making a left instead of a right, sometimes with death.

BORGES, quoted by BIOY CASARES

Archive. Thursday afternoon.

I. POLITICAL CRIMES

• Aguilar Elías, León, born in 1921. Black, slim, straight black hair, half of right big toe missing. Booked in 1948 for criticizing the Supreme Government of the Revolution, in 1955 for allegedly claiming communist sympathies.

• Aguirre Cook, Natsuel, born in 1925. Office clerk, married. Booked in July 1954 for being a communist. (On the verso and attached sheet): Charged as one the most dangerous communist leaders, right-hand man to Carlos Manuel Pellicer. Agitator in the rural areas of Chicacao and Suchitepéquez, and accomplice in the death of the local mayor. He later operated a clandestine radio station out of the San Julián estate in Tiquisate. Under the administration of Dr. Juan José Arévalo, he was employed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Detained when requesting a driver’s license.

• Ávila Aroche, Jesús, born in 1931. Black. (1.86 m.) Marimba player. Single. Lives with his mother. Booked for shining shoes without a license. Charged with larceny in March 1962. With theft in December 1962. With kidnapping in 1963.

• Aguilar García, Benito. Born in 1923 in Escuintla. Single. Lives with mother and brothers. Booked in 1948 when seeking to enlist with the Civil Guard. Discharged and transferred to the National Committee Against Communism in 1955 for being part of the Civil Guard platoon that was sent to Puerto Barrios as a punitive expedition under the command of Lieutenant Cornelio Lone Mejía in June of 1954 to carry out acts of genocide (in the last days of the Revolutionary Government).

• Barrientos, Luis Alfredo. Born in 1924. Journalist. Booked in 1956 for demonstrating. In 1958 for spreading outlandish ideas.

• Chávez Zacarías, Horacio. Born in 1930. Booked for being an agitator at El Porvenir farm.

• Cao Chub, Sebastián. Born (date unknown). Lives with his concubine Isidra Caal. Laborer. Illiterate. Booked in 1957 for causing a fire on Ricardo Kreb’s property.

• Cotón, Ramírez. Born in 1927 in Malacatán, San Marcos. Booked for being a liaison between communist nationals and exiles in Mexico.

• Cabrera García, Leopoldo. Born in 1931. Classical musician. Booked without a motive in 1956.

• Cante Villagrán, Balvino. Born in 1930. Tiler. Booked in 1950 for no reason.

• Castillo Román, Jorge. Born in 1920. Chauffeur. Booked in 1955 for being a communist.

• Chacón Lara, Miguel. Born in 1926. Tinsmith (in Antigua). Booked in 1943 for insubordination.

• Coronado Coro, Álvaro. Born in 1940. Telegraph operator. Booked in 1962 for sabotage.

• Díaz Paredes, Fausto. Born in 1945. Tractor driver. Booked in 1970 for attacks against democratic institutions and possession of war supplies. For robbery, plagiarism, and murder in 1972.

• Figueroa Estrada, Rafael. Born in 1924 in the capital. Farmer. Booked in 1955 for being a terrorist.

• Figueroa Vides, Rodolfo. Born in 1930. Journalist. Married. Booked for no reason in 1956.

• Fajardo Pérez, Antonio. Born in 1937. Student, lives with his mother. Booked in 1956 for sedition and rebellion.