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Although it appears only in one book, we do know quite a lot about the country.
The capital is San Facion, the ruler is General Mogador, and they seem to have a uniformed army. Compared to San Theodoros, the people looks happy to go to war (p.42, frame 12) compared to San Theodoros (p.42, frame 16).

What do you think about Nuevo Rico?

As far as I can remember about Nuevo Rico, Alcazar managed to overthrow Tapioca in the end, isn't it?

As far as I can remember about Nuevo Rico, Alcazar managed to overthrow Tapioca in the end, isn't it?

There's a bit of lacklustre Tintinology for you, tut... Step back yamilah and let me handle this...

It's been well documented in many a book; the war between Nuevo Rico and San Theodoros was a satire on the Gran Chaco war between Bolivia and Paraguay, with Nuevo Rico as a would-be Paraguay.

I suppose the most amusing thing is that whilst the name of the country translates from Spanish into 'nouveau riche' (new rich or newly rich) the captial is called Sanfacion or 'sans façon' - literally 'without way' - meaning casual, offhanded, without manners or rude. Paraguay had become rich from the oil discovered in the disputed Gran Chaco region. I wouldn't like to comment on their 'way'...

You're right of course, Harrock n roll!
The Alcazar we all know finally overthrowned Tapioca in Tapiocapolis, San Theodoros, in the Picaros!

But ...what about this one and this country?
see http://cactuscom.com/tintin/details8.htm#coke

or Red Sea Sharks (p.60, A1)

I hadn't seen that mistake in Coke en Stock before (in case anybody's wondering the newspaper cutting on page 60 reads "Coup d'etat Nuevo Rico - Alcazar renversé Tapioca") The English language version is 'correct', the newspaper in that edition reports a coup d'etat in San Theodoros.

I suspected there was some reasoning behind your 'lapse'. Instead it appears to be an appalling piece of Tintinology on behalf of the creator himself.

I hadn't seen that mistake

Can there be a 'real' mistake in a meticulously constructed original album?

Anyway, the English versions holds quite a few 'corrected' or simplified data indeed:

- 'adventures', contrary to avatars in the beginning of original Soviets.
- 'Taschist'* has at least three different renderings in the French versions of Affair & Emerald.
- 'Gipsies' e.g. has four different renderings in the original Emerald: Bohemiens, Gitans, Romanichels & Tsiganes.
- the already mentioned hundreds of spelling mistakes.
- most likely many other 'less visible' data.

To end up with this, if there's any kind of 'tracking game' in Tintin, it's certainly more so in the original version!


* please search for related threads.

Actually, looking at the French version of the newspaper clipping, it doesn’t say that the Nuevo Rico coup involves Alcazar - it merely presents two statements, separated by a hairline. Perhaps it is telling of instability generally in S. America?

Alcazar may have taken the opportunity to stage his own coup in San Theodoroso during a time of unrest in Nuevo Rico.

yamilah
Can there be a 'real' mistake in a meticulously constructed original album?

the already mentioned hundreds of spelling mistakes.

This is drifting way off topic, but your use of contradiction here is confusing: perhaps the “hundreds” of spelling mistakes prove that the albums are not “meticulous”?

jock123 Actually, looking at the French version of the newspaper clipping, it doesn’t say that the Nuevo Rico coup involves Alcazar - it merely presents two statements, separated by a hairline.

Indeed, the newspaper headline doesn't even say "Nuevo Rico", it says "Nuevo R..."

Perhaps it is telling of instability generally in S. America?

I'd also add that, for me at least, it's not possible to draw any conclusions without knowing the context of the French original.

but your use of contradiction here is confusing: perhaps the "hundreds" of spelling mistakes prove that the albums are not "meticulous"?

It looks quite confusing indeed, but the contradiction comes from Herge himself, a weird best student who pretended to be particularly touchy about Tintin's terrible original spelling! ('Herge', P.Assouline, 1996).

So perhaps those mistakes were particularly important to him?


Actually, looking at the French version of the newspaper clipping, it doesn't say that the Nuevo Rico coup involves Alcazar - it merely presents two statements, separated by a hairline. Perhaps it is telling of instability generally in S. America?

It doesn't say anything about a general instability in S. America either, and a hairline can hardly have such a meaning -even in a French speaking newspaper, which likely explains why Sabourin wasn't contested, and why the British translaters did actually correct the mistake!

On top of it, the official car in Tapiocapolis -San Theodoros- (see The Picaros) bears '3 red stars' on its black front plate, which looks just like the Nuevo Rico flag (see The Brocken Ear), while the rear plate bears '3 moustaches' that match with the front 'Taschist moustache' flying flag of Tapioca's men!

Perhaps this mixed Nuevorican-Taschist car is specially designed to cross boundaries and barriers to provide some kind of 'international' help, as done by flying Basil Bazaroff in The Brocken Ear?

On top of it, the official car in Tapiocapolis -San Theodoros- (see The Picaros) bears '3 red stars' on its black front plate [...] while the rear plate bears '3 moustaches'

Forgive me yamilah, but I see three 'moustaches' on both the front and rear plates of the car (the fifth frame on page 13 and the third on page 14 are the clearest places to see them on the front plate).

Perhaps this mixed Nuevorican-Taschist car is specially designed to cross boundaries and barriers to provide some kind of 'international' help...?

It certainly symbolises the aid of the Taschist regime in putting Tapioca in power, as Tintin alludes to at the beginning of Picaros ("[Tapioca toppled Alcazar] with the help of the Kurvi-Tasch regime in Borduria"), and as shown by the presence of Colonel Sponsz as "technical adviser to General Tapioca" (page 22).

Ed