# Manuel del Popolo Isturiz — Romance character guide

> Manuel del Popolo Isturiz in Romance by Joseph Conrad.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Manuel, Popolo, Manuel el Demonio

**First appearance:** 0004-part-i-the-quarry-and-the-beach

## Snapshot

Known as El Demonio, a charismatic and dangerous figure whose name surfaces in the same breath as piracy, murder, and the crimes laid at the narrator's feet.

## Who they are

Manuel del Popolo Isturiz — El Demonio — haunts the novel as a name whispered in courtrooms and on decks, a legend of violence attached to ships looted and men murdered. When O'Brien and the Juez need a villain to pin their catalogue of crimes on, it is Nikola el Escoces, otherwise El Demonio, whose identity they try to fasten onto the narrator. Whether he is a real man, a myth, or a convenient fiction, his reputation is the dark mirror against which the narrator's own innocence must be measured.

## Relationships

### [Tomas Castro](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/tomas_castro)

_friendship_

Strong bond with high interaction frequency, suggesting trusted partnership.

### [Seraphina Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/seraphina_riego)

_social_

Frequent interactions suggest a close acquaintance or mutual friend circle.

### [Juan Kemp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/juan_kemp)

_friendship_

Consistent interactions indicate a reliable alliance or companionship.

### [Domingo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/domingo)

_professional_

Likely servant or subordinate given the single-name identifier.

### [Mr. Sebright](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/mr_sebright)

_rivalry_

Competing for influence or Seraphina's attention creates antagonism.

### [Tomas Castro](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/tomas_castro)

_friendship_

Strong bond with high interaction frequency, suggesting trusted partnership.

### [Juan Kemp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/juan_kemp)

_friendship_

Consistent interactions indicate a reliable alliance or companionship.

### [Tomas Castro](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/tomas_castro)

_friendship_

Strong bond with high interaction frequency, suggesting trusted partnership.

### [Mr. Sebright](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/mr_sebright)

_rivalry_

Competing for influence or Seraphina's attention creates antagonism.

### [Domingo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/domingo)

_professional_

Likely servant or subordinate given the single-name identifier.

### [Seraphina Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/seraphina_riego)

_social_

Frequent interactions suggest a close acquaintance or mutual friend circle.

### [Seraphina Riego](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/seraphina_riego)

_social_

Frequent interactions suggest a close acquaintance or mutual friend circle.

## In the story

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/vi)

Sailing captain; complains about Castro, sings for Kemp, seeks his support.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iii)

Incites the Lugareños against Juan with songs and threats of violence.

### [Part IV: Blade and Guitar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/part-iv-blade-and-guitar)

Antagonist; his actions in Rio Medio drive Kemp's need to escape.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/i)

Mentioned as being outside with rowboats, waiting on a becalmed Indiaman, which aids the escape.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/ii)

Leads the pirate flotilla; delivers a boastful speech and improvises a song while rowing.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iii)

Implied to have lost himself and led the flotilla that attacks the ship; his voice is heard in a desperate plea for his life.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iv)

Calls out desperately for Seraphina's protection; pleads for his life, fearing the crew's violence.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/vii)

Mentioned in Castro's story as having killed a peon in the cavern over gambling stakes.

### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/ix)

Leads the Lugareños above the cave, taunting Castro and Juan, and devises cruel tricks like throwing salt-laden meat to torment them.

### [The Siege of the Cave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/x)

Leader of the Lugareños, taunts Castro and uses a water flask as bait to tempt Kemp out of the cave.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/i)

Mentioned as the commander of the Lugareños after Nikola left Rio Medio.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/chapters/iv)

Recalled in the protagonist's narrative of his time in Cuba.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters/manuel_del_popolo_isturiz
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/romance_se/characters