Juan José is the legitimate son of landowner Don Luis, while younger Martín is Don Luis's illegitimate son, born to an indigenous peasant woman. When Juan José learns of the affair and that Martín is his brother, he hates him and kills their mother. During the 1952 revolution, peasants kill Don Luis and drive the family off their land, leaving Martín alone. In 1980, Martín moves to Cochabamba to work with his uncle and becomes involved in revolutionary activities. Meanwhile, Juan José rises to become a leader of a paramilitary movement. In these opposing paths, the brothers meet and their fates intertwine.
—Hayduke