Who is Tío Juan?

Tío Juan is Gonzalo’s elderly relative who has immigrated from Guatemala but is unable to communicate with anyone but Gonzalo’s mother because of the dialect that he speaks. When Juan discovers the garden, Gonzalo is able to see his Tío Juan’s strength. Juan can be recognized by the white straw hat that he wears everywhere. Many other characters in the novel note how Juan tries to help them with their gardening but they are not able to understand what he is trying to tell them.