Estefanía

I remember this series when I was a kid. It was very well written and the cast was superb. It focused on the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez in Venezuela and more specifically on his Head of National Police Force (Seguridad Nacional), Pedro Estrada. I understand that the script is very close to reality and the different characters, albeit fictional for the most, did resemble situations that were common those days. The main character was played by actress Pierina Espana who later retired from acting. I believe after over 30 years of democracy, reruns are being shown at present and that the current government feels a bit alluded. I am not sure if this show was ever translated.

I was one of five writers who worked on this telenovela for a year in Caracas, Venezuela. It served to remind people of the horrors of dictatorships by reliving the Perez Jimenez era. Estefanía stirred up plenty of political sentiment among the population and we received honors from the President for standing up for democracy. Our team, lead by Julio Cesar Marmol, broke the norm and wrote realistically, including actual speeches from the era which I myself researched in the National Library. This soap had some real content and was an eye-opener. The actors were terrific. Jose Luis Rodriguez and Maria Conchita Alonso were on the verge of becoming international stars. It was an unforgettable experience and I am proud to have worked on Estefanía.