What Remains is an innovative graphic novel that weaves documentary and memoir forms to capture the sociopolitical fabric of Colombia, spanning 200 years. Camilo Aguirre dips in and out of pivotal historical periods, all while skillfully interweaving family histories and anecdotes of students, union workers, and guerilla fighters. He creates a critical, unflinching vision of Colombia that is profoundly mobilizing in its search for resolution. Aguirre is hopeful throughout, but he refuses to step into the trap of fictitious optimism.
The people and the families represent a detailed composite portrait of life in Colombia, sketched from opposing ends of the political spectrum. Colombia is inextricable from its people's complex lives and identities, as well as the lives of Aguirre and his family. Aguirre narrates the complexities from a distant Minneapolis. He details the tides of power and politics, from American and corporate interventions to internal hierarchies of wealth and power, and finally to the impact of emerging globalization and neoliberalism. The criminalization and persecution of union workers and students propagate amidst these political phases. What Remains poses a question. Aguirre answers through a profoundly personal lens and demonstrates that what remains of Colombia are the rich and varied lives of its people.