Source plot synopsis — includes the ending
The game follows the protagonist, El Presidente, as he works towards restoring the power that he lost in the Caribbean after averting a nuclear war that the US vice president perpetrated in order to facilitate his own rise to power. It is divided into three acts:
El Presidente arrives at his new island where he begins to work toward his goal of building an ideal nation for his people. To do so, he focuses his administration on several islands, developing the economic potential of each one, until he is ousted from power after being framed for the murder of the current US president. El Presidente is then forced to flee his country and travels to other parts of Tropico.
After fleeing his country and assuming a new identity, El Presidente begins his revenge by establishing a base of power at Isla Oscura. There, he learns that he was the victim of a conspiracy involving Keith Preston, the CEO of Fruitas Inc. (a parody of Minor C. Keith and Andrew W. Preston and their United Fruit Company); the rebel leader Marco Moreno (a parody of Che Guevara); UN Inspector Brunhilde Van Hoof (a parody of Margaret Thatcher); and his former mentor Generalissimo Santana (a parody of Fidel Castro). After enacting his revenge on the conspirators and clearing his name, El Presidente regains his position as the rightful ruler of Tropico.
Reinstated into power, El Presidente focuses on rebuilding his nation, until his former enemies reappear and sell him information about the true mastermind behind his downfall, the US vice president Nick Richards (a parody of Richard Nixon), who had the US president killed so he could become president himself. Around this time, perestroika hits the USSR and Tropico offers their assistance to the nation in exchange for evidence incriminating Nick Richards that leads to his demise. El Presidente and his antagonists show parallels to Salvador Allende and his ousting, with El Presidente having socialist policies by default and being overthrown by a dictator backed by both Richard Nixon and Margaret Thatcher stand-ins.
El Presidente arrives at his new island where he begins to work toward his goal of building an ideal nation for his people. To do so, he focuses his administration on several islands, developing the economic potential of each one, until he is ousted from power after being framed for the murder of the current US president. El Presidente is then forced to flee his country and travels to other parts of Tropico.
After fleeing his country and assuming a new identity, El Presidente begins his revenge by establishing a base of power at Isla Oscura. There, he learns that he was the victim of a conspiracy involving Keith Preston, the CEO of Fruitas Inc. (a parody of Minor C. Keith and Andrew W. Preston and their United Fruit Company); the rebel leader Marco Moreno (a parody of Che Guevara); UN Inspector Brunhilde Van Hoof (a parody of Margaret Thatcher); and his former mentor Generalissimo Santana (a parody of Fidel Castro). After enacting his revenge on the conspirators and clearing his name, El Presidente regains his position as the rightful ruler of Tropico.
Reinstated into power, El Presidente focuses on rebuilding his nation, until his former enemies reappear and sell him information about the true mastermind behind his downfall, the US vice president Nick Richards (a parody of Richard Nixon), who had the US president killed so he could become president himself. Around this time, perestroika hits the USSR and Tropico offers their assistance to the nation in exchange for evidence incriminating Nick Richards that leads to his demise. El Presidente and his antagonists show parallels to Salvador Allende and his ousting, with El Presidente having socialist policies by default and being overthrown by a dictator backed by both Richard Nixon and Margaret Thatcher stand-ins.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history ↗ · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Tropico 4. Section headings and formatting adjusted. · Content license