He and his wife Gloria are initially elated at the designation, but their excitement quickly turns to disappointment when they arrive at San Pedro, an impoverished hamlet inhabited by illiterate native peasants, most of whom don't even speak Spanish.

Doña Lupe, fed up at Vargas's ever increasing demands for money and his indulging freely of her girls' services, hires a bouncer who severely beats him up when he goes to collect payment.

Later that night, Vargas ambushes the bouncer and Doña Lupe, killing them and dumping their bodies in a ravine, inadvertedly leaving his PRI pin at the scene of the crime.

He has Morales exiled for his alleged participation in the crime and also for sexual misconduct towards his young housekeeper and other town girls (which is implied to be partly true, albeit grossly exaggerated).

While "transporting" Filemón to jail, he discovers the drunkard had found his pin at the ravine, and even though he had planned to let him go after buying his silence with money and alcohol, he kills him in cold blood and leaves him on the side of the road.

López arrives in the town, having fled into the countryside after having orchestrated a failed attempt on a political rival's life, and demands Vargas give him the money he has made.

His sanity shattered, a rambling Vargas kills López and his henchman Tiburón, before confronting a mob of angry townsfolk led by Father Pérez and Pek.

The site's critics consensus reads, "La Ley de Herodes is a biting - if heavy-handed - political satire about greed and corruption in Mexico, featuring a brilliant performance from Damián Alcázar.