This article aims at understanding how the association of Suárez’s political thought with the defence of absolute gov‑ernment, from the broader analysis of Suárez’s thought as presenting an idea of limited government. Notwithstanding the fact that Suárez’s political thought was mainly developed in opposition to James I’s monarchical absolutist view, the interpretation of his thought herein suggested is not unani‑mously accepted. An aspect that appears to be decisive for the holding of the contrary view is Suárez’s idea that the translatio potestatis implies a total abrogation of power and, therefore, of the liberty of the people. The implications of such transfer must therefore be understood. Then, we shall answer the question of whether the king must ultimately be legibus solutus or, on the contrary, one can conceive in Suárez’s thought a government submitted to the laws of the community.