Mario Vargas Llosa, author of the controversial, "Fiesta del Chivo" described the fact that the decrepit 94-year old Joaquin Balaguer is running for President as part of the magic realism of Latin America. During the formal presentation of his historic novel on Dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, he described the legendary Dominican former President as an "extraordinarily elusive character," and he said that rarely had he encountered a person with such talent to provide courteous answers while avoiding responding what was asked. He said that the characterization of Balaguer in the book seeks to reflect his perplexity regarding information the former statesman provided to him in several interviews. The book was officially presented at a full-house event at the Hotel Jaragua yesterday. Editora Taller publishes the local edition. Editora Taller president, Jose Israel Cuello said that one of the positive outcomes of the novel is that it has awakened in the young generations an interest in the dictator. As a result, young are asking their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents about the dictator. "Where were you?," is being asked again. "The topic is untouchable, Trujillo is dead, the topic isn’t," said Cuello in his presentation.
