San Theodoros
Encyclopedia
San Theodoros is a fictional
Central America
n country in The Adventures of Tintin
. It is a satirical version of a Latin American banana republic
country under the yoke of military government.
San Theodoros apparently became independent around the early 1830s as a result of the unstated actions of General José Olivaro, possibly similar to those of Simón Bolívar
or José de San Martín
. Endless rebellions after Olivaro in the 1840s until 1930s made San Theodoros have the most number of presidents in history.
During the The Broken Ear, San Theodoros and its hostile neighbor Nuevo Rico go to war over the area of Gran Chapo (grand chapeau, "Big Hat") in 1937 – an allusion to the Chaco War
fought by Bolivia
and Paraguay
over Gran Chaco
from 1932-1935. It was thought that the area was custodian of large oil reserves, so a war sparked in the area. The Chapo War was short, lasting only a few weeks, resulting in a stalemate. It is eventually revealed that the notion of the presence of oil in the area was null.
Military coups and counter-coups of Generals Tapioca and Alcazar have followed each other with regularity – and soldiers switch sides every time. In fact, revolution seems like a tradition in San Theodoros, as evidenced in Tintin and the Picaros, where it is said that mass executions after a revolution by firing squads is a tradition. A San Theodoran firing squad consists of six soldiers.
In The Red Sea Sharks
, General Alcazar is seen in exile, having been deposed again by his rival in 1958. Alcazar is now negotiating for arms sales by this time.
The latest information about the country is from 1976 when General Alcazar, now supported by the International Banana Company, for the last time ousted General Tapioca during a carnival
in an unusually bloodless coup. His guerillas, collectively known as the Los Picaros, wore carnival outfits during the operation. Tintin and his associates had their minor part in the proceedings, although Tintin concocted the plan, and insisted that there be no bloodshed. After the coup General Alcazar renamed the capital from Tapiocapolis to Alcazarpolis after himself.
as having a seaport, whereas in Tintin and the Picaros
, it appears to be inland. It is possible that the capital's situation is similar to that of San Salvador
, El Salvador
, where the inland downtown area and coastal suburbs are separated by a small mountain. In the TV series
, at the beginning of The Broken Ear
when the museum is closed and the janitor was dusting the exhibits and whistling, it was shown that there was a map in the museum that San Theodoros and Nuevo Rico is somewhere near Guyana
. In Tintin and the Picaros
, the Paris Flash report clearly claims that the country is, as a matter of fact, in South America
, since Bianca Castafiore
reportedly "continued her brilliant progress through South America", after successfully visiting Ecuador
, Colombia
and Venezuela
, and is to visit San Theodoros. In the very same book, Captain Haddock
, on an attempt to call General Tapioca, says "Hello, International? Give me South America... Tapiocapolis... General Tapioca!" which lies as yet another proof that the country is located in South America
.
The country has a few magnificent Paztec pyramids in Trenxcoatl, including one called Hotuatabotl featured in the Picaros. (Paztec being a pun
on Aztec
and pastèque, watermelon
, and the names of the pyramids, puns on "trench coat" and "hot water bottle" respectively, are meant to look like Nahuatl, like the volcano Popocatepetl
in Mexico
.) In the jungle areas of the country live Indian tribes of Bibaro (pun of Latin bibere, "to drink") and Arumbajo (or Arumbaya).
, as said in The Broken Ear
. They are festive people, having their own carnival celebrated at the capital, Los Dopicos, from February 22-24 every year. The most visible honor bestowed in San Theodoros, as showed in Tintin and the Picaros, is the Order of San Fernando
.
The Paztecas are people who came together and formed Pazteca Empire. They were highly developed with respect to their neighbors. They were great architects and astronomers. They built numerous temples and palaces. They were on to agriculture, in which successful applied methods of cultivation, trade and, through its excellent roads. In addition, a heavy toll charged to Bíbaros and Arumbayas in exchange for peace.
The Bíbaros and Arumbayas are Indian tribes that were long living with neighbor Pazteca Empire. They survived by hunting and foraging. They lived in simple huts and were under the leadership of a chief.
With the Arumbayas lives the English explorer Ridgewell, who tries to teach them golf. In the English books, they speak Cockney
English
, but it is written in such a way that it looks meaningless. (One example: "Ai tolja tahitta ferlip inbaul intada oh'l!" instead of "I told you to hit the flippin' ball into the hole!"). In the original French, the Arumbaya language seems to be another incarnation of Hergé's favourite Brussels (Marols
) dialect.
, coffee
, corn
, and gold
. Oil reserves in the country were never proved. The economy, in the national sense, was controlled by rich foreign firms. As of 1970, the estimated GNP (Gross National Product) stood at $45.0 million, and the per capita at a measly $11. Slow economic growth characterized the entirety of Tapioca's three terms. Alcazar's return to power and a quick stabilization of politics in 1976 paved way for increase in tourism potential and an increase of GNP to $306 million.
s, mannlicher
-type rifles, Mil Mi-1
helicopters and (presumably) artillery, around 95 of them, along with anti-tank guns like the Canon de 75 modèle 1897
, which Alcazar bought 72 in preparation of the Chapo war. It appears to have a navy and air force, but little is seen of them. There could have been at least 10 major navy ships and 40 aircraft. The army later on appears to be armed with FN FAL
/AK-47
/Heckler & Koch G3
(it's hard to tell which) rifles and wears German style helmets. The army could also have an arsenal of tanks, approximately 50. At one time under General Tapioca, San Theodoros enjoys close military cooperation with fascist Borduria, another fictional country in the Tintin universe, which would explain the style of its military uniform and its munitions. Tapioca's symbol can be compared to the mustache of the Bordurian dictator Marshal Kûrvi-Tasch. After General Alcazar returns to power, some military units are depicted cladded in guerrilla-style uniforms. In "the Broken Ear" both San Theodoros and its warring neighbour Nuevo Rico buy arms from the same arms dealer, a character based on Basil Zaharoff
.
Fictional country
A fictional country is a country that is made up for fictional stories, and does not exist in real life, or one that people believe in without proof....
Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n country in The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin is a series of classic comic books created by Belgian artist , who wrote under the pen name of Hergé...
. It is a satirical version of a Latin American banana republic
Banana republic
In political science, the pejorative term Banana Republic denotes a politically unstable country dependent upon limited primary productions , which is ruled by a plutocracy, a small, self-elected, wealthy group who exploit the country by means of a politico-economic oligarchy...
country under the yoke of military government.
History
The Spanish invaders founded the city of "Our Lady of Las Dopicos" in 1539, which was actually near Tenuzco, the capital of the Pazteca empire. In the series, the capital had two spelling variations: Los Dopicos and Las Dopicos.San Theodoros apparently became independent around the early 1830s as a result of the unstated actions of General José Olivaro, possibly similar to those of Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
or José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
. Endless rebellions after Olivaro in the 1840s until 1930s made San Theodoros have the most number of presidents in history.
During the The Broken Ear, San Theodoros and its hostile neighbor Nuevo Rico go to war over the area of Gran Chapo (grand chapeau, "Big Hat") in 1937 – an allusion to the Chaco War
Chaco War
The Chaco War was fought between Bolivia and Paraguay over control of the northern part of the Gran Chaco region of South America, which was incorrectly thought to be rich in oil. It is also referred to as La Guerra de la Sed in literary circles for being fought in the semi-arid Chaco...
fought by Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
and Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
over Gran Chaco
Gran Chaco
The Gran Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semi-arid lowland region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, where it is connected with the Pantanal region...
from 1932-1935. It was thought that the area was custodian of large oil reserves, so a war sparked in the area. The Chapo War was short, lasting only a few weeks, resulting in a stalemate. It is eventually revealed that the notion of the presence of oil in the area was null.
Military coups and counter-coups of Generals Tapioca and Alcazar have followed each other with regularity – and soldiers switch sides every time. In fact, revolution seems like a tradition in San Theodoros, as evidenced in Tintin and the Picaros, where it is said that mass executions after a revolution by firing squads is a tradition. A San Theodoran firing squad consists of six soldiers.
In The Red Sea Sharks
The Red Sea Sharks
The Red Sea Sharks is the nineteenth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums written and illustrated by Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero...
, General Alcazar is seen in exile, having been deposed again by his rival in 1958. Alcazar is now negotiating for arms sales by this time.
The latest information about the country is from 1976 when General Alcazar, now supported by the International Banana Company, for the last time ousted General Tapioca during a carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
in an unusually bloodless coup. His guerillas, collectively known as the Los Picaros, wore carnival outfits during the operation. Tintin and his associates had their minor part in the proceedings, although Tintin concocted the plan, and insisted that there be no bloodshed. After the coup General Alcazar renamed the capital from Tapiocapolis to Alcazarpolis after himself.
Geography
Determining the location of the county is difficult, given the conflicting references in the books. The capital, Los Dopicos, is shown in The Broken EarThe Broken Ear
The Broken Ear is the sixth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero...
as having a seaport, whereas in Tintin and the Picaros
Tintin and the Picaros
Tintin and the Picaros is one of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip graphic novels, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero....
, it appears to be inland. It is possible that the capital's situation is similar to that of San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, where the inland downtown area and coastal suburbs are separated by a small mountain. In the TV series
The Adventures of Tintin (TV series)
The Adventures of Tintin is an animated television series based on The Adventures of Tintin, a series of books by Hergé. It debuted in 1991, and 39 half-hour episodes were produced over the course of three seasons...
, at the beginning of The Broken Ear
The Broken Ear
The Broken Ear is the sixth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero...
when the museum is closed and the janitor was dusting the exhibits and whistling, it was shown that there was a map in the museum that San Theodoros and Nuevo Rico is somewhere near Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
. In Tintin and the Picaros
Tintin and the Picaros
Tintin and the Picaros is one of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip graphic novels, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero....
, the Paris Flash report clearly claims that the country is, as a matter of fact, in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, since Bianca Castafiore
Bianca Castafiore
Bianca Castafiore, the "Milanese Nightingale", is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé...
reportedly "continued her brilliant progress through South America", after successfully visiting Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, and is to visit San Theodoros. In the very same book, Captain Haddock
Captain Haddock
Captain Archibald Haddock is a fictional character in The Adventures of Tintin, the series of classic Belgian comic books written and illustrated by Hergé...
, on an attempt to call General Tapioca, says "Hello, International? Give me South America... Tapiocapolis... General Tapioca!" which lies as yet another proof that the country is located in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
The country has a few magnificent Paztec pyramids in Trenxcoatl, including one called Hotuatabotl featured in the Picaros. (Paztec being a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
on Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
and pastèque, watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
, and the names of the pyramids, puns on "trench coat" and "hot water bottle" respectively, are meant to look like Nahuatl, like the volcano Popocatepetl
Popocatépetl
Popocatépetl also known as "Popochowa" by the local population is an active volcano and, at , the second highest peak in Mexico after the Pico de Orizaba...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.) In the jungle areas of the country live Indian tribes of Bibaro (pun of Latin bibere, "to drink") and Arumbajo (or Arumbaya).
Local businesses
- The central bank is called Banco de la Nación.
- The national airline is SANTAERO.
- The state lottery is called Loteria Naciónal.
People and Culture
Most of the population seems to be humble and poor, as depicted in Tintin and the Picaros. The national drink is the aguardienteAguardiente
Aguardiente , aiguardent , aguardente , and augardente are generic terms for alcoholic beverages that contain between 29% and 60% alcohol by volume...
, as said in The Broken Ear
The Broken Ear
The Broken Ear is the sixth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero...
. They are festive people, having their own carnival celebrated at the capital, Los Dopicos, from February 22-24 every year. The most visible honor bestowed in San Theodoros, as showed in Tintin and the Picaros, is the Order of San Fernando
Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Ferdinand , commonly known as Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand , is Spain's highest military award for gallantry...
.
The Paztecas are people who came together and formed Pazteca Empire. They were highly developed with respect to their neighbors. They were great architects and astronomers. They built numerous temples and palaces. They were on to agriculture, in which successful applied methods of cultivation, trade and, through its excellent roads. In addition, a heavy toll charged to Bíbaros and Arumbayas in exchange for peace.
The Bíbaros and Arumbayas are Indian tribes that were long living with neighbor Pazteca Empire. They survived by hunting and foraging. They lived in simple huts and were under the leadership of a chief.
With the Arumbayas lives the English explorer Ridgewell, who tries to teach them golf. In the English books, they speak Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, but it is written in such a way that it looks meaningless. (One example: "Ai tolja tahitta ferlip inbaul intada oh'l!" instead of "I told you to hit the flippin' ball into the hole!"). In the original French, the Arumbaya language seems to be another incarnation of Hergé's favourite Brussels (Marols
Marols
Marols or Marollien was a dialect spoken in Brussels. Essentially it is a Dutch dialect incorporating many words of French origin as well as a sprinkling of Spanish dating back to the rule of the Low Countries by the Habsburgs...
) dialect.
Economy
The Spanish colonists saw San Theodoros being rich in chocolateChocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, corn
Corn
Corn is the name used in the United States, Canada, and Australia for the grain maize.In much of the English-speaking world, the term "corn" is a generic term for cereal crops, such as* Barley* Oats* Wheat* Rye- Places :...
, and gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. Oil reserves in the country were never proved. The economy, in the national sense, was controlled by rich foreign firms. As of 1970, the estimated GNP (Gross National Product) stood at $45.0 million, and the per capita at a measly $11. Slow economic growth characterized the entirety of Tapioca's three terms. Alcazar's return to power and a quick stabilization of politics in 1976 paved way for increase in tourism potential and an increase of GNP to $306 million.
Military
An interesting detail is the proliferation of colonels; during The Broken Ear story, the army of San Theodoros had 3487 colonels but only 49 corporals. With the army of San Theodoros having 3487 colonels and only 49 corporals during Alcazar's regime, the entire number of troops under the employment of the armed forces possibly stands at approximately 44,900 men during Alcazar's first term and should have been larger during Tapioca's dictatorship. San Theodoros also appears to suffer from the lack of equipment among its troops, as they can be seen wearing a variety of at least eight ammunition pouches and tunics, of varying type and colour. This lasted only during every civil war. It appears to have armoured vehicles at its disposal, along with MG08 heavy machine guns, Vickers machine gunVickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
s, mannlicher
Mannlicher
Mannlicher may refer to:* Ferdinand Mannlicher , a Bohemian-German/Austrian weapon designer*: various guns bearing his name:** Mannlicher-Schönauer rifle** Steyr Mannlicher M1894 pistol** Steyr Mannlicher M1901 pistol...
-type rifles, Mil Mi-1
Mil Mi-1
The Mil Mi-1 The Mil Mi-1 The Mil Mi-1 ( (USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 32", NATO reporting name "Hare") was a Soviet three- or four-seat light utility helicopter. It was the first Soviet helicopter to enter serial production. It is powered by one 575 hp Ivchenko AI-26V radial. It entered...
helicopters and (presumably) artillery, around 95 of them, along with anti-tank guns like the Canon de 75 modèle 1897
Canon de 75 modèle 1897
The French 75mm field gun was a quick-firing field artillery piece adopted in March 1898. Its official French designation was: Matériel de 75mm Mle 1897. It was commonly known as the French 75, simply the 75 and Soixante-Quinze .The French 75 is widely regarded as the first modern artillery piece...
, which Alcazar bought 72 in preparation of the Chapo war. It appears to have a navy and air force, but little is seen of them. There could have been at least 10 major navy ships and 40 aircraft. The army later on appears to be armed with FN FAL
FN FAL
The Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal . During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, with the notable exception of the United States...
/AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
/Heckler & Koch G3
Heckler & Koch G3
The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
(it's hard to tell which) rifles and wears German style helmets. The army could also have an arsenal of tanks, approximately 50. At one time under General Tapioca, San Theodoros enjoys close military cooperation with fascist Borduria, another fictional country in the Tintin universe, which would explain the style of its military uniform and its munitions. Tapioca's symbol can be compared to the mustache of the Bordurian dictator Marshal Kûrvi-Tasch. After General Alcazar returns to power, some military units are depicted cladded in guerrilla-style uniforms. In "the Broken Ear" both San Theodoros and its warring neighbour Nuevo Rico buy arms from the same arms dealer, a character based on Basil Zaharoff
Basil Zaharoff
Basil Zaharoff, GCB, GBE , born Zacharias Basileios Zacharoff, was an arms dealer and financier...
.
Sources
Tintin albums with San Theodoros:- L'Oreille cassée (The Broken EarThe Broken EarThe Broken Ear is the sixth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero...
, 1937) - Les Sept Boules de cristal (The Seven Crystal BallsThe Seven Crystal BallsThe Seven Crystal Balls is the thirteenth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero....
), mentioned but not seen - Coke en Stock (The Red Sea SharksThe Red Sea SharksThe Red Sea Sharks is the nineteenth of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums written and illustrated by Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero...
), mentioned but not seen. - Tintin et les Picaros (Tintin and the PicarosTintin and the PicarosTintin and the Picaros is one of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip graphic novels, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé, featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero....
, 1976)