Reasons of State is a fictional political novel written by Cuban novelist Alejo Carpentier, and published in 1975. The novel is a very important piece of Latin American literature, as it captures the events of the times, which were mostly of communist nature, and writes them in a way that shows the cruelty and selfishness of dictators.
The country the dictator is described to be from is not specifically mentioned, but he does travel to live in a luxurious area in Paris. When the dictator learns that there is trouble in his country, he orders the military to stifle it, the news capturing the events. He is then regarded by the French as a horrible man, and is no longer welcome anywhere.
Alejo Carpentier was a famous Cuban novelist who is perhaps the greatest influencer of Latin American literature. Reasons of State was his most popular book, and is argued to be the most important in the history of the area ever written. The book, because of its controversial topics, was banned for many years in dictatorships throughout the area. During the Communist Revolution in Cuba, Carpentier was jailed because of his political philosophies. Ironically, Carpentier died in Paris, France, at the age of 75.
