Who is Desiderio from The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman: A Novel and what is their importance?

Desiderio is the son of a prostitute who was raised in an orphanage by nuns. Desiderio has some Indian blood in a country where there is a great deal of prejudice against those with Indian heritage. For this reason, Desiderio often finds himself in a position where he expects to be discriminated against. Desiderio has a sense of inferiority in most situations even though he is the assistant to a powerful minister in the capitol city of his country.