[1] In the mid-1920s, Don Polo, a rich influential landowner and politician, has an affair with Dionisia, the housekeeper in his farm, which is called El Paraíso (Paradise).

From this relationship a son is born, whom Don Polo suggests he name Martín, in order to train him as a farmer and make him the foreman of his farm, near to Sogamoso.

Despite Don Polo's restrictions, Abel establishes a good fraternal relationship with Martín and with Ángela, an attractive mentally retarded girl who helps Dionisia with her chores.

As adults, Abel, who is spoiled, naive and weak before, watches Angela bathing naked and, encouraged by Martin, they both have sex with her and are later scared away by Dionisia.

Their friendship breaks up with the arrival of Margarita Reyes, a beautiful young woman from a penniless aristocratic family.

Margarita confesses to the priest Hoyos is more attracted to the handsome and masculine Martín, but Abel is more pliable, and being rich he suits her aspiration of money and position.

The next morning, Dionisia discovers Abel's corpse, which is also observed by the other peasants, and they decide to report the crime to the police and they contact Don Polo in Bogotá.

Later, Abel's body is laid to rest and then buried, while the national and departmental authorities offer Don Polo their support and condolences.

At night, Pedro Palos' gang decides to raid Puntalarga, a nearby town to steal money, food and medicine, even though 'El Doctorcito' disagrees and is determined to start a revolution.

The Puntalarga town is attacked by Pedro Palos, Martín and the bandits where, in addition to committing looting, they murder several police officers.

Ezequiel, Valeria and their son arrive at the barracks to report the whereabouts of Pedro Palos, but end up imprisoned under suspicion of being collaborators of the bandits.

A small battle breaks out in which several bandits are killed, despite putting up considerable resistance, but the survivors must flee due to the army's numerical superiority.

Don Polo, in a small plane accompanied by army officers, sends a message, which says that, in addition to the reward, they give the bandits 3 days of truce in exchange for handing over Margarita and her newborn son.

The Doctorcito thinks it is a trap and refuses to accept the truce, in addition to hate Martín for being fratricidal, and insulting Margarita.

Despite agreeing with Doctorcito in which Martin only brought problems, Pedro wants to claim the money offered by Don Polo, Margarita refuses to return to her normal life.