I'm a complete neophyte on this tribe as well. Only come here once in awhile and have never posted, but just had to respond to this because--though I have never read MULATA--THE PRESIDENT (or "El Señor Presidente") is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. It's better than 1984 in representing the horrors of an oppressive government--in this case a dictatorship in an unidentified South American country. It's only transgressive in that it shows reality, the horrors of what can happen in any government, any country--the horrors of what has and is happening in some countries. Some of it seems too horrific, too melodramatic but, as my professor said, that serves to make it so you really can't aestheticize any part of the book, or turn anything into "symbols." A dead baby can't "symbolize" anything in this book; it is simply a dead baby. Anyway, I'm sure many have already read it but, if not, everyone should read--transgressive in their terms or not. I think it's one of the most important books ever, on a world level.