Dry Season: 1980NewsUS resumes Military AidIn a brief statement today, US Ambassador Buffard has announced that the US has decided to resume shipments of military aid that were temporarily suspended last year. Arrangement for the delivery of these goods is being made with Colonel Horacio Erlich.
Various Chimerican politicians and other figures, including Sub-Commandante Correa, have announced that they consider this a breach of Chimerican Independence and that the US should have contacted the civilian government before resuming aid.
Events-
Food crisis [Internal | Agriculture]
Thousands of urban residents, both workers and unemployed, march through the streets of Poyais, protesting skyrocketing food prices. Over the span of a few weeks, basic food prices, such as beans, have increased almost five-fold to ten-fold. Many workers, even those with good jobs, can now just barely afford to provide for their families. For the poor and unemployed, corn and beans are now a luxury food.
Union leaders participating in the protest, are demanding that the government institutes price controls before food becomes unaffordable.
Shopkeepers however are warning that the institution of price controls will do nothing to resolve the primary cause of the rising prices, which are the general decline of Chimerican food production and inadequate infrastructure preventing the transport of food towards the cities. They note that the implementation of price controls will further reduce food production in a country that already suffers from severe food shortages.
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Farsante's Land [Agriculture]
When the dictator Farsante was deposed, his lands were seized. Over the last few decades the Farsante family had succeeded in establishing it's control over a large part of the arable land in the country, with wide estates in the fertile valley's, and smaller patches in the gently rolling hills. There're questions about what needs to be done with the land. Some argue that the majority should be sold, providing the state with severely needed revenue, and additional revenue from the sale of the cotton and coffee that will likely be planted upon them.
Other argue that the fields should be given to small coffee producers, which they argue could better make use of the land. As the price and yields of coffee are higher compared to cotton, the government might see more revenue .
Lastly, some argue that the land should be used to support the land reform Program, one of the demands of the revolution. Others note that it is unlikely that small farmers can effectively manage these large estates, and thus suggest that the government should maintain a managerial role and use the farms as large, communal state farms.
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Land Reform [Agriculture]
Land Reform was one of the key demands of the revolution. The rich own more than 60% of the arable land in Chimerica, and almost all of the most fertile land in the valley's of the country. These vast plantations are important for the production of cotton, Chimerica's primary export crop. The hills where coffee is grown don't lend themselves well to these large plantations, so there land ownership is more even. Though Chimerica's social elite still exerts considerable influence, a large group of small to medium scale coffee producers exists.
This all has resulted that the Campensino's, the small farmers upon which Chimerica relies for it's food consumption, are forced to work upon the more isolated and infertile lands of the country, where infrastructure is practically non-existent.
The campensino's are demanding that they are granted their former lands in the valley's (mostly bought or forcibly seized from them during Farsante's reign) . This is opposed by the current owners of those lands, who say that the Campensino's have no idea how to manage these lands, and warn of dropping revenue and yields.
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The National Re-unification Army [Military]
The National Re-Unification Army was a bold experiment that involved the integration of the Revolutionary Army, and the Chimerica's traditional army under the joint leadership of Colonel Erlich and Sub-Commandante Correa. The integration however has gone far from flawlessly.
The officer corps of the traditional army, almost all of them appointed under Farsante's reign has proved to be resilient against Sub-Commandante's Corea's efforts to restructure and reform. Meanwhile there have been discipline issues amongst former Guerilla units now integrated in the army command structure.
Both Colonel Erlich and Sub-Commandante Correa accuse each other of trying to undermine each other's influence.
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Farsante's Guard [Internal | Military]
Hundreds of women dressed in black march through the streets of the capital, carrying large crosses and holding banners reading "Where are our Children". The silent march, organized by the Mothers of the Dissappeared, seeks to find Justice for those people murdered by Farsante's regime.
Estimates for the amount of people kidnapped and executed by Farsante's Elite guard number in the thousands, though they vary wildly. After all most bodies have never been found, and all documentation, if it existed, has disappeared. For now, most of Farsante's Guard still walks the streets unhindered, only a few have been arrested, and none have been prosecuted.
The Mothers of the Dissappeared are demanding Justice, but others do not think it wise to open old wounds, and start a witch hunt through the Chimerican society. They note that the rebels too have committed atrocities, and note that Farsante's guard was just following orders.
Party Name: The Social-Democratic Party
Leader Name: Victor Rosero
Ministry of Exterior
Party Bio: They rose as a party shortly before the revolution, and are now one of the more prevalent parties. They seek to raise minimum wage, bring the country back together, and get better healthcare and education, as well as gaining power in Chimera.
Role in the Revolution : None militarily, though they supported the militants who tried to oust him.
Primary Support basis: Cuban Consul
- Secondary Support basis: Trade Union Leader
Guard Leader
Since most of us are conservatives, I make a new character to spice things up;
Party Name: Juan Lopez Abado
Leader Name: Revolutionary front
Ministry of Interior
Party Bio: Taking a lot of inspiration from the USSR, they believe in heavy industrialion of the agriculture, a distancing from USA, and to improve the general welfare of the poorest. They also want to prosecute those involved in the bloodshed the former dictator caused. However, Jaun is known to be one of the least radical of the members in Revolutionary front. And is a good negotiator.
Role in the Revolution : The military backbone of the revolution, most of its partymembers fought the former dictator.
Primary Support basis: Sub-commendant
- Secondary Support basis: USSR ambassador
Landless labourer
Party Name: Conservative Party of Chimera
Leader Name: Colonel Gustavo Luiz
Ministry of Defense
Party Bio: Formed after the Revolution by the Former Colonel of the Chimeran Presidental Military, Gustavo Luiz wanted to forma counterweight to the Revolution.
Role in the Revolution : Actually none, well except for Gustavo himself who lead the Chimeras Military. Note he had no connections whatsoever to the Presidential Guard or Chimeras Secret Service.
Primary Support basis: Army Colonel
- Secondary Support basis: Industrialist
The Doctor
Party Name: The Middle Path.
Leader Name: Miguel Aivanez.
El Presidente
Party Bio: Before the revolution The Middle Path was a combination opposition party/activism group kept around by the old regime to show how tolerant of middle class values it was when American journalists visited. With the general uplifting of spirits TMP is allowing itself to actually pursue it's stated goals.
Role in the Revolution : None. Though some members of the rebellion were part of it at one time or another, until recently TMP was doing everything in it's power to distance itself from them. The stance has since been reversed, but some minor resentment lingers.
Primary Support basis: Rights Activist
- Secondary Support basis: The teacher, The shopkeeper
Name: Jorge "pepe" Luiz
Party bio: Mimic Ghazkull
Ministry of Agriculture
Primary support basis: Guard Leader
- Secondary Support basis: Campesinos
Army Colonel
Role in the Revolution: Jorge was a Prison guard who let out political prisoners who were thrown in for trumped up charges by the old dictatorial regime..however he only let out fellow conservatives and friends of the campesino. Jorge also worked hard to make sure Soldiers thrown in for suspicion to desert or defect were also let out secretly and pulled strings to make sure his brother Colonel Gustavo in the armed forces was never thrown in prison like his fellow soldiers. Going as far as to sending bribes to the secret service agents that he knew were on his case. As far as fighting for the Revolution however Jorge never did so, preferring to support the small conservative components that defected by freeing there captured prisoners.
Chimerica
Capital: Poyais
Population : 4 million
Budget overview
The Chimerician Budget is made out of 2 different parts. The Income and expenses in it's domestic currency, the Chimerica, and the incomes and expenses in USD. Due to volality of the Chimerica, it is impossible to use the coinage for international trade, and as such the country relies on international aid, as well as Agricultural exports, to maintain it's Foreign Currency reserves.
Foreign Currency income:
- Agriculture : 35 million [Down from 45 million 1 year ago]
- Aid : 110 million [Down from 205 million 1 year ago]
Foreign Currency Expenditures :
- Military : 125 million [Up from 100 million 1 year ago]
Reserves and Debt:
- Foreign Currency reserves : 20 million [ Down from 25 million]
- Debt : 1.5 billion [Up from 1 billion]
Budget (Chimera)
Income :
- Taxes : 2.5 billion
Expenditure:
- Infrastructure : 2.5 billion Chimera's [Down from 5 billion Chimera]
- Healthcare : 1.2 billion Chimera's [Up from 1 billion Chimera]
Exchange rate :
- 5 : 1 (Usually)
Loans and Aid
Int Institutions : 75 million
US : 0
USSR/Cuba : 0
Others : 35 million
Healthcare and Education
Healthcare:
- Average Lifespan : 46 years
- Child mortality : 17.5%
- Malnutrition: 72%
Education:
- Literacy : 60%
Military
- Military expenditures : 125 million
- US military Aid : 25 million
Agriculture and land ownership
Landownership :
- 5%: 60%
- Others: 20%
- State : 20%
Agricultural production: (kg) [All taken directly from the game.]
- Cotton : 130 000 000
- Coffee : 390 000 000
- Corn and beans : 190 000 000 [Assume this doesn't include production for own use]
Price and earnings :
- Coffee: 1.25 USD/ kg
- Cotton: 0.75 USD/kg
- Coffee: 25 million
- Cotton: 10 million
Note: Some of these statistics might not make sense. For the beginning, I took them from the game. They're not that important anyway.
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Topic: Hidden Agenda: A Post-Revolutionary Forum Game [5/5] (Read 9501 times)