A delirious Balloon Vendor sings "Happy Birthday" to his peculiar companion. Upon discovering that she is hiding the balloons he intends to give her, he questions whether their connection is genuine affection or an escape from reality.

Andrés and his son Pedro live in a working district of Caracas and hardly ever see each other. While Andrés fills his time doing different jobs, Pedro wanders the streets playing with friends and learning from the violent atmosphere around him.

On the border of Venezuela with Colombia, during the late 80's, two men survive an armed assault near the Arauca River, in which fourteen of their companions end up dead. The Army accuses them of being guerrilla fighters and tries via intimidation to seize them from the cell where they are being watched over by the local police officer and by the entire village. They say they are simple fishermen, but pressure to yield to the official version is overwhelming.