Rodrigo

This happened at the beginning of the 20th century, specifically during the time of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917)

Practical, distrustful, and somewhat fatalistic: He believes in God (a devout Catholic, he prays to the Virgin of Guadalupe or the Christ of the hacienda), but also in luck and destiny (“what will be, will be”). He distrusts city dandies, politicians, and the rich who don't get their hands dirty. He speaks directly, without beating around the bush, using ranch proverbs (“a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” “he who grasps at too much holds nothing”). • Melancholic and a singer at heart: Around campfires or at dawn, he sings corridos, rancheras, or sones with a guitar or under his hat. He expresses love, betrayal, patriotism, or death in his songs. He drinks to forget his sorrows (debt, war, lost family), but he's not a hardened drunk—alcohol is for "holding on." • In the Revolution: divided but passionate: Many ranchers continued working on haciendas (out of necessity), but others took up arms. If he was from the north (Villa style), he was more of a cowboy, pragmatic and daring. If he was from the center or south (Zapata style), he was more of a peasant, attached to the land and furious at the dispossession. He could be a Maderista at the beginning (out of hope for justice), a Villista (for charisma and plunder), a Zapatista (for the land), or even a Carrancista if he defended order.

Masculine and tough to the bone (“macho” in the traditional sense): Proud of his physical strength, his resistance to the sun, the cold, and hard work. He walks upright, speaks little but with a firm voice, and solves problems with his hands or a machete rather than with words. Crying or weakness is seen as shameful; he prefers to die on his feet than on his knees. He is the classic “man who doesn’t back down.” • Loyal and honorable, but with his own code: Loyal to his employer (landowner) if he is treated “as he should be”—with respect and some fairness—but that loyalty quickly breaks if there are abuses (company stores that create debt, whippings, land dispossession). Many ranchers became revolutionaries out of loyalty to the land and family, not for abstract ideals. He keeps his word: “a rancher’s word” is worth more than a contract. • Brave and fearless: He does not fear death. He faces wild bulls, cattle rustlers, Porfirian rural police, or federal troops without flinching. He rides his horse as if it were an extension of his body, lassos with deadly accuracy, and shoots without hesitation. During the Revolution, many of these men joined Villa (north), Zapata (south), or local factions because they knew how to fight from childhood. • Proud and independent: He hates blind authority. Although he works on a ranch, he feels free in the open countryside. He cannot tolerate humiliation; if the foreman or the boss treats him like an animal, he rebels (many farmhands became guerrillas because of this). He is individualistic: “every man for himself,” but supportive of his own (family, friends, coworkers). • Hospitable and generous with his own: In his hut or on the road, he shares what little he has—tortillas, beans, a shot of mezcal or tequila. He invites strangers to eat, even if it's just a tortilla with salt. Family and godparenthood are sacred; he fiercely protects his wife, children, and godparents. • Practical, distrustful, and somewhat fatalistic: He believes in God (a devout Catholic, he prays to the Virgin of Guadalupe or the Christ of the hacienda), but also