A 73-year-old deposed Caribbean president living in exile in Martinique. He travels to Switzerland seeking medical treatment for a painful chronic ailment. He projects a disciplined, stoic exterior regarding his health but harbors complex political ambitions. Despite his actual poverty, he uses his significant personal charm to lean on the meager resources of those he meets.

An impoverished ambulance attendant working at a Geneva hospital. Originally from the same Caribbean country as Mr. President, he devises a plan to sell insurance and funeral services to wealthy patients to support his struggling family. He blends moral flexibility with a genuine capacity for empathy.

An earnest, devoted Colombian man from an Andean village. Following the tragic loss of his wife and child, he travels to Rome carrying a pine box holding the mysteriously preserved body of his daughter. He dedicates his life to securing her official canonization from the pope, maintaining quiet faith despite facing decades of bureaucratic indifference.

A beautiful Andean woman who takes a seat on a transatlantic flight. She explicitly requests not to be disturbed by the flight crew, takes a sleep aid, and rests peacefully through the entire journey while her seatmate quietly obsesses over her appearance.

A traveler flying from Paris to New York who becomes instantly captivated by the woman sitting next to him. He spends the entire flight projecting romantic fantasies onto her sleeping form, silently toasting her and feeling profound disappointment when the flight concludes.

A Colombian woman who moved to Vienna in her youth. Facing intense poverty during a harsh winter, she begins selling her prophetic dreams to wealthy European families. Her visions afford her massive financial success and unexpected power over her superstitious patrons.

A young Mexican woman living in Barcelona. While seeking a telephone to call her husband, she accepts a ride on a bus that mistakenly delivers her to a strict mental institution. Her perfectly logical attempts to explain the misunderstanding only convince the staff that she belongs there.

A professional magician who relies heavily on his wife Maria as his stage assistant. Because Maria previously left him early in their relationship, he interprets her sudden disappearance as a romantic betrayal rather than a medical emergency.

A 76-year-old Brazilian woman living in Spain. Having survived a difficult youth after being trafficked to Europe, she now lives a quiet life. Following a vivid dream, she becomes convinced her death is imminent and meticulously plans her own funeral arrangements.

A devout Colombian widow who travels to Italy in hopes of seeing the pope. She wears a brown burlap habit and leather sandals to fulfill a religious vow. Upon arriving in Naples, she feels immediately alienated by the casual cruelty and corruption she witnesses in the foreign city.

A man from the Caribbean who holds a deep, personal terror of the tramontana wind after surviving a harrowing family trip to Cadaqués. He completely understands the panic of a young compatriot facing a similar threat.

A young man living in Spain who vehemently resists returning to a specific coastal village. A group of European tourists completely dismiss his terror as superstition and force him into their vehicle.

A strict German nanny hired to watch two Colombian boys in Sicily while their parents attend an artists' retreat. During the day, she enforces rigid European etiquette and punishes the boys harshly. At night, she secretly indulges in sweets, wine, and solitary swimming.

A nearly nine-year-old Colombian boy spending his summer in Sicily. He deeply resents Miss Forbes's arrival, which ruins his carefree vacation, and closely observes her hypocritical nighttime behavior while plotting a rebellion.

A young Colombian boy subjected to Miss Forbes's strict care in Sicily. He is openly rebellious, insulting her cooking and actively proposing drastic solutions to rid them of their overbearing caretaker.

A nine-year-old Colombian boy living in Madrid. Missing his seaside home, he works hard to earn good grades so his parents will buy him nautical equipment. He discovers a magical way to flood the apartment with light.

A seven-year-old Colombian boy who joins his older brother in demanding maritime gear in the middle of Madrid. Together, they use broken lightbulbs to create a glowing indoor sea.

A young, wealthy Colombian man known for his impulsive and sometimes violent behavior. During his European honeymoon, he drives deep into France, largely ignoring the severity of his wife's bleeding finger until they reach Paris. He soon struggles with unfamiliar language and bureaucratic obstacles.

A beautiful, intelligent young Colombian woman on her honeymoon in Europe. She manages all the logistical details of the trip for her new husband. After pricking her finger on a rose, she experiences a severe medical emergency on the road to Paris.

Homero Rey's wife, a Puerto Rican woman of Yoruban descent. Abandoned in Geneva by a former employer, she works as a hospital aide and occasionally cooks for wealthy families. She dreams of achieving success as an astrologer and views Mr. President with harsh suspicion when he first enters her home.

The young daughter of Margarito Duarte who died in childhood. When her body is exhumed years later, she is found completely weightless and free of decay. This miracle prompts her entire village to pool their money to send her to Rome.

A Colombian film student and writer living in Europe. He befriends Margarito Duarte and chronicles the older man's endless quest through the Catholic bureaucracy. He comes to view Margarito himself as a figure of holy devotion.

A Colombian expatriate who initially befriends Frau Frieda in Vienna. He takes her abilities seriously enough to abandon the city on her advice, later reuniting with her in Spain. He documents her strange career and remarkable intuition.

A renowned Chilean poet visiting Spain. He joins The Writer for a meal and encounters Frau Frieda, initially dismissing her prophetic talents as unimpressive before experiencing their effects firsthand.

A historical nobleman who built a vast castle in Tuscany centuries ago. According to local legend, he committed a horrific act of violence against his wife and himself, leaving his spirit trapped in the castle's untouched upper bedroom.

A Venezuelan writer who hosts guests at a centuries-old property. He delights in sharing the gruesome local legends surrounding the castle's original builder and the supernatural occurrences inside its walls.

An old friend who discreetly visits Maria dos Prazeres on a steady schedule. Their longstanding connection faces a severe test when he expresses support for the execution of Basque separatists.

Maria dos Prazeres's small dog. Maria devotes significant time to training him to walk to the cemetery and cry at her future grave so she will have at least one mourner after her passing.

A 20-year-old local resident in Sicily who interacts with the two Colombian brothers next door. He inadvertently causes trouble when he decides to play a prank on the boys, drawing Miss Forbes's immediate wrath.