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El Republicano
Publicado desde 1911, en Agusan del Norte,
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Hidalgo Tip exercises rescheduled, activity in Vandal Sea to resume ​ Despite the previous cancellation of the (formerly) annual winter exercises south of the Hidalgo Tip out in the Vandal Sea, the economic upswing and increase in military funding has allowed for the the navy to resume the tradition for this year. With Reals now pouring into the armed force's coffers, the exercises have been rescheduled, though no date has of yet been announced by defense committee officials for security reasons. Of particular note is the announcement that regular naval patrols which had been discontinued during the last year will now also resume, they venturing out far into the Implarian. With the situation in Nokanawa and the various Touzen domains looking to be increasingly volatile, defense committee officials have affirmed that they wish to maintain a high level of readiness whilst simultaneously making sure to keep the sea-lanes across the Implarian secure for trading vessels. Whilst they'd formerly been concerned with just searching for lost fishing ships or the rare shipwrecked mariner, regular escort duty will now begin for certain liners as far west as the international date-line. An advisory has been put out to Andal cargo companies and individual haulers regarding trade in the Touzen-Yujin region, with a recommendation to put in at a list of ports presently confirmed to be distant from any ongoing “conflict areas.” Whilst the government and defense committee wish to avoid infringing upon international trade, sovereignty, or law, they have publicly stated that they nevertheless wish to avoid having Andal merchantmen inadvertently caught up in the ongoing disputes in East Touyou. The first patrol will be reportedly conducted by the cruiser Ernesto de Rivadevia and its attendant destroyer, the Mauricio Hernandez, departing from the Republic Navy Yard here in Agusan del Norte. Furlough which had been granted to qualifying naval personnel in the ports of Agusan del Norte, Mariposa, and Hidalgo have been almost universally repealed, and all servicemen recalled to active duty. Additionally, a statement by the Gran Consejo (and the defense committee) has been made guaranteeing naval funding at its present level or greater until the conclusion of the present “exceptional circumstances” in East Touyou and those slowly unfolding in our neighbor to the south, the Aurarian Republic. Given the economic recovery over the last two years, it's possible that this promise may even be fulfilled without bringing the budget down into a deficit–it having now been operating at a surplus for several financial quarters. “It'll keep us on our toes, that's for damned sure,” said Commodore de Vivar, who commands the 12th Destroyer Squadron based out of Hidalgo. “Winter months are best time for it. Least shipping, most storms.” “I was hoping to serve in the navy for my voting stint,” was what an anonymous volunteer on the way to the civic station had to say, smiling as he was interviewed. “I was told by the judge that they weren't taking on recruits, what with the funding shortages, but I've been approved now!” As it stands, the exercises should last just less than a week, though patrols will carry on indefinitely. You must be registered for see images The Ernesto de Rivadevia, photo taken during the exercises of the winter of 1949​	You must be registered for see images ​ EDITORIAL: Juan López de Arroyo ​ Why should the common man, ignorant of his fellow's woes, be given say on how to avail them? Is there any sense in granting a voice to those that can do little with it but bleat, to cry out senselessly and futilely in support of some side in a cause they know nothing about? How can a man who knows nothing of service to anyone but himself possibly deign, in good conscience, to provide an opinion concerning the greater masses–the greater good? I have had countless letters cross my desk in the past few days as this latest fad of demonstrations has engulfed both Mariposa and Santa Clara La Vieja. Hundreds of the wretched parchments, all pleading for the same thing – that I allow an article concerning the supposed merits of automatic suffrage to appear in my gazette. This is it, this is that article, penned entirely by me, Juan López de Arroyo. The merits are listed above, in a paltry few sentences which nevertheless quite succinctly ought to portray to any given fool the flaw inherent with the idea of automatic suffrage. We have universal suffrage, it having been guaranteed since the 1922 Constitutional Convention, and women now have the chance to make their way and obtain the vote just as any man would. Yet now they ask for more, more, more, as cowards, braggarts, and naïve fools always must: they ask that anyone be allowed to vote under any circumstance, without any service prerequisite. It's not right, they cry, for the government to require a few years of your life, such that one may vote. These are the words of a coward, pure and simple. He who refuses to serve his fellow man, to understand and help him, to partake in and encourage civic virtue, deserves no privilege over him. Would it not be a violation of another person's liberty–of the greater part of society's liberty– for another to ignorantly, demonstrating no integrity or civil awareness, cast a vote in blindness? I can understand however why there may be proponents for it. The doctrines of liberal democracy have now spread worldwide, propagated as they have been by such crypto-imperialist agents as Sylvania and Frescania. In their system, voting and suffrage is considered to be a right rather than a privilege; as though knowledge and power both are somehow inherent in any given person. It's a foolishly naïve notion, but one which I can understand has a certain appeal to those of us that may believe in the better nature of mankind. Yet in his default state, man is anything but wise, or collected, or selfless. In his default state, man has little care or awareness of the greater good, of society, of civic ideals. Andaluz' founding fathers acknowledged that early on. It's as a consequence of their acceptance of this fact that our nation is now structured the way it is, that it succeeds and prospers as it does. I would not be alone in saying that were it not for my time in the service, my views would be considerably more selfish, unrefined, and altogether cruel. Contrary to the NMP's rhetoric and beliefs, the refusal to grant automatic suffrage is not the mark of a barbarian. It is the mark of a civilized man, for only he would wish to uplift his fellow. And it is only through that uplifting, of course, that his fellow may gain power and knowledge equal to the civilized man. I grow increasingly weary with these displays every time they pop up, and it's made worse by the presence of registered voters alongside the regular rabble.

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El Republicano
Publicado desde 1911, en Agusan del Norte,
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* The Ministry of the Exterior has guaranteed, without reservation, that Andal inspectors and objective observers will be on stand-by and available should they be required by the Aurarian government. Widespread accusations of election fraud by hundreds of different sources has resulted in general political pandemonium in the Republic, much to the concern of our own government. In an attempt to stymie the chaos before it erupts, the Ministry of the Exterior has offered up its services in conjunction with the Office of the President, in the hopes that an expedient, peaceful, and universally agreeable solution may be reached to this outstanding issue. The situation is reportedly being carefully monitored by the government. * A Saha deputy has been implicated in the kidnapping and murder of Clara López-Espinoza, the sixteen year old who went missing in the Sierra Nevada the previous winter. Some of her possessions, including clothes and undergarments, were located inside his home and were positively identified by the girl's parents. They were discovered by a fellow deputy who'd been visiting, but recognized the garments from photos of the girl that'd been used to help in their search. The Saha deputy, who has asked to remain anonymous, will stand trial in a martial court within a week's time in Catamarca del Este. * A minor earthquake in the Coronado region forced a shutdown in all east or westbound train service, resulting in significant delays in shipments of certain goods from Catamarca del Este and the Sierra Nevada. At the present time, officials are keeping the rail-link shut down until such time that ground crews can examine the track and determine condition following the quake. They are hesitant to allow civilian trains passage in the event that there's damage, for the perilous terrain in some parts may result in great losses both in terms of human lives and cargo. There have been no serious cases of trail derailment since 1922, and the Office for Transportation would prefer to keep it that way. You must be registered for see images A squad of Andal riflemen performs a patrol along the DMZ cordon marker, close to Vampton​	Bombing in Vampton forces Monkecia Reevaluation ​ A pair of buses were recently destroyed in a bombing in the downtown area of Vampton, almost twenty kilometers inside the Monkecian coastal demilitarized zone presently maintained by elements of the 7th Rifle Division, and 12th and 14th Composite divisions. While no Andal servicemen were hurt in the blast, the bombing has left fourteen natives dead and another thirty-two wounded, with the nearby Santa Anna's Hospice and attendant military doctors working diligently to save as many lives as possible in the aftermath. Official investigators believe that the bombing was not random, but instead a calculated act of terrorism. Though no faction has yet stepped forward to take credit for the attack, investigators nevertheless claim that there is compelling evidence to suggest that it was intended as a message. With a rise in such incidences in the areas occupied by our armed forces, there have been some among the Defense Committee and the military itself who have proposed for a general reevaluation of Andal strategic thought as pertains to Monkecia. “We need to reorientate ourselves,” claimed Colonel Juan Carlos Vega, a senior analyst working in Valladolid Navy Yard. In an interview conducted immediately following the bombing, he spoke on how he believes that the Andal government needs to take a more “proactive” stance in the Monkecian War. “We went in with the express interest of assuring the security of key material assets, many of which were owned by international figures or companies,” he said. “And we've done that, everything that could be moved off-island or auctioned off having been by now, and all that remains is real-estate. Trade has died down as the conflict has intensified, and so there's no economic imperative to remain any longer.” Indeed, the NMP and the National Republican Party have made clear that they espouse and support a similar viewpoint. It is believed that though the ports seized have been made relatively secure from the savages of battle, it is nevertheless the case that with the interior being unstable and and unsafe, trade and prosperous economic activity cannot properly commence. The numbers would seem to align with this idea, according to lists provided by the Office for Economic Development in Agusan del Norte, which claims a significant drop of nearly 23% in shipping and trade from the occupied territories over the course of the last year. “We're pussyfooting now,” said National Republican spokesperson, Enrique Aritza-Acra, “we're pussyfooting, that's what it is. Goals are accomplished that we went in with, so we either get out or change 'em. Sticking around just so we have a foot in the sandbox when it dries ain't a good enough reason.” The military's and defense committee's solution has been to declare it a peacekeeping mission, with the cordon to be maintained “indefinitely” until such time that the political situation in Monkecia has stabilized sufficiently. Reportedly, greater security measures will be taken in order to insure increased security of the demilitarized zone, though the practice of “invasive patrols” remains banned by Presidential order. Any proposals to increase troop numbers are currently off the table, according to inside sources within the defense committee, but a restructuring of Andal commitment nevertheless remains possible.

 

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El Republicano
Publicado desde 1911, en Agusan del Norte,
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Protests in Santa Clara come to a violent end ​ The protests in Santa Clara La Vieja, conducted in support of the idea of automatic suffrage, began on the 29th of October and came to a violent conclusion this morning. Having turned into a riot, metropolitan police were forced to revoke the permit for the protest and to disband the crowd directly. Military forces had to be called in to assist, and the end figure of casualties comes up to three killed during the stampedes, including one officer, and nearly fifty-seven wounded. According to after-action reports released to the press by police and military forces, what had originally started as a peaceful protest erupted into full-blown rioting during the early hours of this morning. The crowd, wrought into a terrifying furor by the cries of a handful of presently unidentified demagogues, surged forward after fifteen minutes of threats and shouting and charged the police cordon surrounding the Memorial Courthouse on Emancipacíon Avenue. They broke through and ended up trampling one officer, a Carlos Montejo, to death. Reinforcements from the local police department and soon after from the 11th Rifle Regiment succeeded in quelling the protestors with a minimum of violence, utilizing a combination of gas and the “riot herding” technique pioneered in Gallia to quiet the riot. All wounded in the riot have been transferred to Santa Maria La Vieja hospital, and the majority are expected to recover without issue. As a consequence of these events, the mayor of Santa Clara La Vieja has ordered a general revoke of all protest permits that had already been issued by the city and scheduled for future dates, as well as placed a wide suspension on the issuing of them. According to city officials, they will only be issued following a thorough review of the process, the procedures involved, and on the regulations regarding protests. Similarly, the mayor of Mariposa has placed a similar suspension, though he has refrained from revoking any present permits. Instead, the police presence around the protests in that city has increased, and the 11th Rifle Regiment called up to provide on-the-fly assistance. This last action has resulted in some backlash, with protest leaders claiming that their intentions are “egalitarian” and “wholly peaceful.” A publication put out by the leaders of the suffragists' Mariposa branch decries this preventative action by city officials as “unjust”, as it “presumes our criminality” despite the lack of any “compelling evidence.” At present, the Gran Consejo and the Electoral Tribunal have both refrained from commenting in any great length on the issue. In a joint statement released this afternoon, both have affirmed the right of the cities to make whatever decisions they deem fit to “ensure their general stability” so long as it remains in pursuance to the Articles of Commonwealth, and the Treaty of Abjuration. A bounty has been posted within the Ferezanno province for any information which might lead to the arrest of any of the individuals believed responsible for starting the riots. While many were arrested and will be promptly interrogated (insofar as possible) by police, there is nevertheless no clear party responsible in custody. If you have any relevant information, please call your local police department, who will forward you to that of Santa Clara La Vieja.	Shipping in Thaumantic under threat! ​ Tensions have never been higher in the northern Thaumantic, with the various nations bordering that sea each having a stake in the lease by the Kingdom of Danmark of the Faroes Islands to the Mezhist Union. Already, a great many states have condemned the transfer, including Sylvania, Beautancus, and Ivernia, whilst others have expressed support or apathy. However, several others, including Tyrculir & Warr, have expressed great concern over the possibility of a naval war in the northern Thaumantic, particularly as they report widespread Sylvanian naval movements eastward. It is believed that the primary reason for Tyrculir's own vocal opposition to Sylvania's naval movements (and potential intervention in the transfer) is down to the unavoidable impact that such a conflict will have on the prosperity of Zulia-Santander as a whole. In an official statement released today by the President's Office and the Foreign Relations Committee, the government of our Commonwealth has said the following: “though we maintain hope that a peaceful solution may be found to this issue, it is nevertheless the case that we must forever prepare for the worst. It is our sincere hope that though some disturbance to international shipping will doubtless be inevitable should a shooting war begin, that all parties involved will make a profound effort to minimize their impact on neutral parties. A conflict in the proximity of the Faroerner archipelago would cause significant disturbances to trade in the Borucean region, as well as the eastern coasts of Andaluz, Pellewburg, and Tyrculir. “This is intolerable. All shipping coming from Gallia, Germania, northern Himyar, and even the western reaches of Touyou comes via a route which takes it quite close to any possible conflict zone.” As such, our government has issued a request for both the governments of Sylvania and the Mezhist Union to issue certain assurances and guarantees regarding the inviolability and sanctity of international trade and shipping. “Even if only Sylvania and the Mezhists fight, all of Zulia-Santander will be affected,” said Enrique Vélez, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs committee for the Gran Consejo. “Sylvania's trade must go through Tyrculir and Warre's straits, whilst all ours in the Frescanosphere must pass by in close proximity to the Faroerner archipelago. While it would be preferable to avoid any war entirely, it is perhaps impossible given the domineering nature of the states involved–as such, owing to any such war's profound international impact, it cannot be allowed to occur unrestrained and unrestricted. “There must be guarantees. Trade cannot be allowed to come to a stop simply due to this disagreement.” Funding has thus been redirected in great quantities to the Puerto Republicca facility currently under construction, which will serve as the Commonwealth's first harbour on the Thaumantic once complete. As it stands, the Marina Andal has no ability to provide its own protection or guarantees to shipping in the Thaumantic, owing to its lack of any bases on that side of the continent. It is hoped that all sides are able to reach an acceptable solution to this issue before hostilities flare up.

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[The Federation]

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
CONTINENTAL REPUBLIC OF SYLVANIA
​

To the people of Andaluz

It is one of the major goals of the Continental Navy to shield international civilian shipping from any conflict that may arise from the Faroe Incident. While we cannot guarantee a zero percent impact upon shipping in the region we shall attempt to do everything in our power to continue the flow of trade between Occidentian nations and between the New World and the Old World. Sylvania will be no stranger to the impact this may have on civilian shipping so you can be assured that Sylvania is doing everything within its power to minimize the impact felt upon ourselves and the Occidentian community.
​

Autumn Viklund
Director of Foreign Affairs

RENDER NOT UNTO TYRANTS!
CONTINENTAL REPUBLIC OF SYLVANIA
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El Republicano
Publicado desde 1911, en Agusan del Norte,
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Danish Implaria leased to Andaluz ​ The Kingdom of Danmark and the government of the Andal Commonwealth came to an agreement today, culminating in the signing of the Treaty of Albay by appropriate plenipotentiaries in the city of Albay, the largest of its kind in the Samar Isles–the native name for Danish Implaria. Though the agreement covers several other other matters besides, the crux of it is the following: the Kingdom of Danmark agrees to lease the Samar Isles, with the exception of a single small one which will continue to serve as a Danish naval hub, to the Andal Commonwealth. Amidst the terms, one mutually agreed upon by both Andal and Danish representatives was the establishment of a provisional government primarily consisting of native members of the Implarian Renaissance Foundation–a native nationalist group–Danish lawmakers, and Andal statesmen. They have been given several objectives by the Treaty, and are obliged to allow a referendum and vote both to be held by the end of January so as to allow for the fulfillment of the first goal in particular. Under the terms of the lease, the Andal Commonwealth will have the ability to make a full purchase of the territory following the completion of the 50-year period. Both lawmakers in the Gran Consejo and diplomats from the Ministry of the Exterior have expressed skepticism, however, with Amerigo de Cuesta summarizing a popular mindset well: “we are not changing its condition now. By purchasing the isles outright, we would change them. It's only through free and willing association with the Commonwealth that they might become a part of it.” There have been many that have expressed great concern over the willingness by the Ministry to commit Andaluz to such a path, for the recent actions by Sylvania and her allies in the north have lead some to believe that a similar reaction will be forthcoming. Nevertheless, official releases from the Ministry and the Presidency both have been unapologetic. Expressing little desire to rule over the islands directly, the Office of the President claims that its primary interest in the Samar Isles is strategic and economic: the outlined third goal of the provisional government. With reports of piracy in the region being at an all-time high, with Frescanophone shipping being the primary victims of attacks, the intervention by Andal naval forces is the sole solution available at the present time. “We are making all efforts to make this transition as palatable as possible,” said Enrique Vélez, on site in Albay. “It's not our goal to impose our whims, nor to annex the Samar Isles–or Danish Implaria, as it was known. Our interest and objectives are the same ones that the international community ought to possess: to ensure that trade routes to and fro the western coast of Zulia-Santander–Occidentia–remain safe and clear. Self-government is guaranteed, and Andal influence will be strictly limited only to a few select military and political facilities scattered sporadically around the isles.” Simultaneously, some other leaders have stated that Andaluz doesn't need to justify its actions. “We're operating under the same basis as Sylvania in this matter,” pointed out Captain-General Rodrigo Vuella, a staffer with the High Captaincy. “Much as Sylvania feels threatened by the presence of Mezhists in such close proximity to her core territory, so too do we feel threatened by pirates interfering with our integral trade lines. Any posturing to the contrary at this point is just hypocritical nonesense.” With naval bases now available to the Marina Andal in the region, patrols may now provide consistent and unbroken escort for any ship traveling across almost the entirety of the Implarian Ocean. Furthermore, concerted efforts may now begin, according to naval spokesmen, against the threat of piracy, which the Danish government had not been able to address given its perilous financial situation. It is believed that the majority of thefts and disappearances have been the result of several bands of pirates operating from within some of the smaller islands in the Samar chain, and a comprehensive search will soon begin by re-stationed vessels and personnel so as to directly address the problem. Some excitement has been expressed by some business-owners, and shipping companies especially. Agustino Estefan-Muerrez, a high-level manager in the Marinosur shipping and shipbuilding company, had the following to say: “it'd always been safer to go east, around the southern tip of Zulia-Santander, to go to Touzen or Gallia. Now–new investment opportunities, and a safe route west!” The Ministry of the Exterior has stated that it hopes that Andal companies do indeed take advantage of this opportunity and provide investment and employment in the Samar Isles. “Sincere economic development,” claimed Enrique Vélez, “is as good a deterrent against brigandry as anything else.”	You must be registered for see images The Samar Isles: only those territories which are leased being labeled. ​ The provisional government of the Samar Isles is presently tasked with the following goals and objectives: 1) To provide for an independent legislature, to operate as the sole law-making body of the Samar Isles and their citizenry in all affairs not explicitly named in the Treaty of Albay. 2) To ensure the continued pursuance of Danish law, Danish custom, and Danish system of government, wherein the representative body and civil service of the government of the Samar Isles will retain a form similar to that presently in place. 3) To allow for the economic integration of the Samar Isles into the international community, and to provide for the security of all assets in transit through or nearby the Samar Isles in cooperation with the Armed Forces of the Andal Commonwealth. ​

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[Tyvia]

La Mariposa Gaceta
disponible en englés, frescañol, e tiburano​

Does a Shift in Trade Lie in Our Future? ​ Both the Mezhist Union and the Continental Republic of Sylvania have recently announced a series of statements, following continued prompting and requests from the Andal government and several other sources worldwide, wherein both parties pledge to guarantee the sanctity and integrity of all merchant shipping regardless of any possible hostilities between them. With tensions regarding Danish Faroerne gradually building over the last few days, the primary concern of many governments and businesses worldwide would be as to how trade might be affected by any possible war in the northern and central Thaumantic. The majority of trade which comes to Zulia-Santander, Andaluz, Safiria, and Auraria in particular, comes via a route which takes it through quite close proximity to the isles. It has thus been the view of the government, and that which prompted so much outcry, that any such war would have disastrous consequences for the economies of Zulia-Santander as a whole. Now, even with security and freedom of movement pledged to merchant vessels, the High Captaincy of the Commonwealth Navy and the Office of the President have not yet revised their standing public advisory. Andal merchants are still recommended to take the westerly route instead, to go via the newly acquired Samar Isles and thus avoid any potential violence in the Thaumantic entirely. With Andal naval presence having now recommenced throughout almost the entirety of the central Implarian, escorts and patrols are available continuously almost as far west as the extremities of New Engellex in terms of longitude. “The guarantees provided are significant,” said a representative of the High Captaincy, a Jose Mallery. “But it is nevertheless the case that there will be problems with shipping and disruptions to that effect,” he continued. “It would be preferred to minimize that altogether by taking the alternate route; it may increase transit time by another day or two, but it is the safer and more reliable trade-lane for those shipping to and from Zulia-Santander's west coast.” It has thus been claimed by some circles that this in effect only one part of a comprehensive effort by which our government is attempting to realign the fulcrum of trade westward, whereby the the acquisition of the Samar Isles represents a critical moment in that endeavor. Were the majority of Andaluz' trade to go westward rather than eastward, it would mean that the Commonwealth Navy and the Andal government could much more readily supervise and protect it, and thus allow our sizable merchant marine to operate essentially independent of most other maritime actors. While there have yet to be any comments as to this specific issue, it is nevertheless clear that something to this effect is indeed the goal of our government–stated as it has been in several foreign releases, and in the Treaty of Albay, which secured the status of the Samar Isles relative to Andaluz. Naturally, not all are entirely pleased by this arrangement. While the majority of business-owners interviewed, particularly in the fields most affected by such a shift, have responded positively, there have nevertheless been some voices of dissent. “If these allegations are true, then this is an example of blatant protectionism,” the half-Touzen Post-Delegationist radio host, Ignacio Hodei, accused. “It is ultimately the responsibility of the individual contractors or corporations to determine by which route they choose to do business, not that of the government. It isn't the responsibility of the government to provide an impetus in any direction, nor is it appropriate for it to attempt to direct business solely in the interests of its own geopolitical objectives.” Mercosul, the largest shipping company based out of Andaluz, has announced that it presently intends to comply with the government-issued advisory and to redirect the majority of its shipping along the westward route now that naval forces are addressing the problem of piracy in the Samar Isles and outlying regions. Company spokesperson Jaime Ramírez said that “we foresee the shift as indeed being permanent,” claiming that he and the company hopes that trade in the Implarian will be restored to its former vibrancy following the “elimination of brigands,” and the end of the troubles in Touzen–formerly one of Andaluz' premier trading partners.	Other News ​ Naval exercises in the Vandal Sea and just off the Hidalgo Tip have now concluded, with representatives of the High Captaincy claiming that they are “more than content” with the performance demonstrated by the command staff and sailors both. Among the participants were elements of the 2nd Fleet, based out of Hidalgo, as well as of the 9th and 12th Patrol Groups, based out of Mariposa and Agusan del Norte, respectively. A number of commendations were given out in the aftermath of the exercises, both to enlisted personnel and officers, by observing members of the High Captaincy. President Zerbino, having briefly attended during the third day of exercises, said that he was “quite impressed” and “astounded” by the demonstration, and reportedly added that he felt justified in returning the naval budget to its formerly high level now. Observers from Beautancus, Sylvania, and the Aurarian Republic were also present, and allowed to view the decision-making process in a limited capacity. A local zoning board here in Mariposa has elicited protests from the inhabitants of the Sara Santa favela, who have taken to the streets to protest the proposed redistricting of the area for light industry. The historic district, having its origins in the early 1800s, has been the subject of several protests by both historic preservationists and the inhabitants. The city of Mariposa has been considering assigning several new zones to light industrial function, citing requests for numerous companies and growing demand. The zoning board has stated that it has not yet made any decision on the matter, but that they will account for “political and historical concerns” in the process. You must be registered for see images A photo of the Sara Santa favela, a light residential area located about two kilometers from the city center.​

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[Tyvia]

[transcript from the PDC-PBN, 0912-0925, 12 Nov. 1953]

HODEI – Good morning, Andaluz! Here we are again, as every other day, on the PD—that's post-delegationist—station of the public broadcasting network. Now we've got that out of the way, we can get down to business; boy do I hate saying that line. Frequent listeners may recall that I briefly spoke about the government's position regarding the Faroes and what's now formerly Danish Implaria. Well, I'll be speaking with an authority on the subject now, the Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ester Féliz-Aquino. Welcome on board.

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – Thank you. We here on the committee are always happy to reach out to such figures as yourself, and the community. It's understandable that some of these issues may be misinterpreted, or that those reading or learning about them might become confused. It's of course our responsibility to do our own civic duty by assisting others in doing theirs.

HODEI – Of course—now, let's get right to business, shall we? I'm sure you've read the latest article from La Mariposa, and you know that it echoes the same message and report expressed by a few other papers. Namely, the notion that the government—your department, in this case—wishes to redirect the general flow of trade westward. How would you respond to that?

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – I have read about that, and that article in particular. I was surprised to see that they had put you in as the spokesperson for that position! Congratulations.

HODEI – It was just as surprising for me, you can rest assured.

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – Nevertheless, congratulations! Now, as for that claim, I am prepared to tentatively confirm it. As of this moment, yes, it is definitely in the interest of the Office of the President and the Gran Consejo for such a shift to occur.

HODEI – Could you tell us a little bit as to why? How do you justify that position?

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – The majority of our trade arrives through two ports: Agusan del Norte, and Mariposa. Most ships which pull in at these harbors arrive by way of the Thaumantic route, wherein they traverse the cape at Zulia-Santander's southern end and then sail up the coast and into the Vandal Sea. It's the quickest way to Gallia, but it also takes ships of our merchant-marine—as well as private ones, of course—first through waters over which we have no suzerainty or claim to sovereignty, and secondly, perilously close to a potential conflict zone in the form of the Faroes.

HODEI – But why should that matter if both parties issued guarantees? They, and all other nations, are bound by international law to treat merchant vessels well and to respect the integrity of them and their cargoes.

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – That may be so, but most international law is unwritten, and in almost all cases applies only to a select few. Definitions vary, and we would like to avoid the problems that arise when our ships and our citizens become involved in such issues of jurisdiction that inevitably arise when international incidents crop up.

HODEI – So you're cutting your losses.

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – I'd prefer to think of it as attempting to minimize them. I admit that this isn't done entirely altruistically, of course. In terms of strategy and geopolitics, it is of course preferable for ships to take the Implarian route for various reasons. Our largest trading partner used to be Touzen, until recently, and it is our hope that relations with the Constitutional State are amicable once more following the end of the troubles there—both in political and economic terms. We hope that the Samar Isles—the erstwhile Danish colonies in Implaria—will likewise benefit from this traffic, and that the greater importance of this trade route will provide something of a stimulus for its ailing economy. The Commonwealth Navy can also guarantee the safety of all merchant ships taking the Implarian route, something they cannot at all do in the Thaumantic—we don't even have a port there!

HODEI – But there are problems with that, aren't there? You're putting the state's interests above those of individual businesses.

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – I wouldn't say that. Businesses and the state have a mutual obligation to one another. They certainly cannot operate on tangential bases and expect either one to prosper.

HODEI – Right. Well, do you expect that this will be adhered to? That companies will actually listen to the advisory?

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – We're prepared to offer them certain incentives to do so, depending on how events unfold. I won't say at present what these are, for obvious reasons, but I am authorized to reveal that.

HODEI – Ahuh. What would you say to the accusations that this is creeping protectionism? An infringement upon the free market?

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – We're making no attempt to impose any special control upon companies nor merchant shipping. I will admit that it places them in a position to be controlled, but that's a strategic decision. It would be unreasonable and irresponsible of us to allow our merchant marine to go out into the world without some provision, expectation, or possibility of military protection or assistance.

HODEI – I see. Well, it was a wonder having you, thank you for your time. I do hope you'll come by again, especially as we hear more about the situations unfolding all around the globe. Touzen, the Faroes, and now Boganhem too, I hear!

FÉLIZ-AQUINO – It depends! We'll see if I can find time, thank you.

[end transcript]