Rico Rodriguez

Rico Rodriguez is the playable protagonist of the Just Cause game series.

Background
According to the Just Cause 2 PDA, Rico was 21 years old when he was scouted by Tom Sheldon in 1986 (which means that he would have been born in 1965, which conflicts other JC2 PDA info where it states that he was born in 1968), but according to promotional information for JC3, he joined The Agency – the covert arm of the CIA – at age 18.

In conclusion, it was unknown when Rico was born between 1965 or 1968, with the date on the JC2 PDA potentially not accurate. This confusion was later cleared up by the official Just Cause social media pages who (posted on 2020.09.28) confirmed January 25, 1968 as the correct date of birth.

Rico has gone by various nicknames throughout his travels. Some of these include "Hero of San Esperito" in Just Cause (1), "Scorpio", "The Scorpion", and "King of Panau" in Just Cause 2, and "Aquila" (eagle), "Fratre" (brother), "Son of Medici", and "the agent" in Just Cause 3.

Biography
According to the JC2 PDA, Rico was born on January 25, 1968, in Mexico. It has been stated (at the official Just Cause Facebook page) that he grew up in Medici but was not born there. Medici is said to be both his and his mother's homeland. According to an interview with the game director, Rico's parents were killed in action, when Rico escaped the coup in Medici.

In JC4, it is uncovered that Rico's father, Miguel Rodriguez, was a scientist working for Oscar Espinosa and it is possible that while Rico was in Medici, Miguel made trips between Medici and Solís.

Before the Agency
Anders Bodbacka, the senior technical designer for JC3, revealed that Rico was born in Mexico and moved to Medici, which is where his mother is from. Rico's childhood friend Mario Frigo would later lead the Rebellion against Di Ravello before Rico's return.

According to the collectible Di Ravello audio diary tapes, Rico was a mediocre race car driver until he won a race as a result of the lead car's brakes failing (orchestrated by Di Ravello). Rico left Medici when Di Ravello ordered his soldiers to kill his parents to please The Agency. This order was given by the Agency because Miguel Rodriguez refused to continue work on Project Illapa. According to the info in JC3, Rico first met Tom Sheldon on the boat during his escape.

According to Rico's JC2 PDA profile, Rico was approached by the CIA during the Invasion of Panama in 1989, when Rico was 21 years old. Tom Sheldon then took Rico under his wing and became his commanding officer and friend, turning him from a rookie into the top agent he is today.

In The Agency and the CIA
Rico underwent CIA training and due to his expertise with weapons, vehicles, and other gadgets, he was soon accepted into The Agency.

This was a unit of the CIA that specialized in "regime change" operations, which involves overthrowing dictatorships that are being ruled unfairly or are no longer U.S.A. friendly.

During his time with The Agency, Rico trained under Sheldon, who taught Rico the skills and techniques he would need to carry out such dangerous operations, and became a good friend and ally. Rico ran a series of black ops to support guerrilla revolutionaries and overthrow evil dictators around the world.

Rico also met Maria Kane, another recruit within The Agency. Rico and Maria were intimate sometime before the events of the first game, something Sheldon is still oblivious to. Nonetheless, the three became close partners and often dispatched as a team: Sheldon being the commander, in charge of contact with Agency HQ and receiving intelligence, Maria deals with weapons, vehicle, and equipment procurement with Rico as the field operative, carrying out all the actual work.

Guatemala
As revealed in Just Cause 3 and Danger Rising, Rico was once on a mission in Guatemala. He was accompanied by Maria Kane (his significant other at the time), Dimah Ali Umar al-Masri, and possibly Tom Sheldon. Their forward operations base was the USS Codetalker. During that mission, Kane had briefed Rico in the submarines munitions storage room and Dimah had gotten into some trouble, from which Rico rescued her.