I hate showcasing trainwreck videos, because I have to record them, find a website to upload them, try to upload them, find out that they've been "hidden" so the computer doesn't know the videos existed, etc. At the same time though, trainwrecks are useful; they allow you to build new trains.
To summarize the videos, I start off by purging the right-wing military and making Correa the Sole Chief of Staff, while staying on the good side of the Americans. However, the problem is that Oberon, Alejos, and Rosario wanted to overthrow me because I destroyed the "balance" of the military. To defend against this coup requires that I build up an army; but if I build up an army, I make the Americans paranoid about my intentions, and thus lose their support. Trying to increase my popularity doesn't seem to have any effect on my survivablity rating too. So I have to appease the right-wingers.
That'll be fine, except that if I appease the right-wingers, I offend the left-wingers, and they will start launching coups against me. The point of an Army is to defend you against military coups; if I can't survive a right-wing military coup, I can't survive a left-wing military coup either. And it turns out that if I appease the left-wing...there's a chance that I might go far too left, and thereby gain the support of Correa for rigging the elections...thereby defeating the whole point of attracting US military aid in the first place. Also, I was being bombarded with coup attempts, making the game virtually unplayable.
This made me start wondering though. In Karios' Run, the two Leftists, Calderon and Gloria, attempted a coup against the government and failed, badly. They were sent into exile, meaning they couldn't launch coups against me again! What if I reloaded that save, and THEN kick Ehrlich out? I can then appease the right-wingers without fear of the left-wingers overthrowing me.
So that is exactly what I did.
Meanwhile, I deviated from the ideas of Chrisitan Reform, seeing that those 'ideas' got me nominated by Popular Stability. I supported Hector's glorious crusade for worker's rights. Though, come to think of it...
...I haven't really engaged in investing in "a modern economy". I always favored funding Popular Stability's idea of supporting export crops. If I throw money at the cities, maybe that could give me some credit with the moderates.
We also reaffirm the Army's traditional independence, altough Correa is doing its best to subvert it.
...oh dear.
Last night, while I was doing Presidental duties, Escobar, I heard a car crash, and I rushed outside to observe. 10 people, women and children included, slaughtered because of poor roads. There was some chatter, but after the casualities were dropped off at the morgue, there was just silence.
Did I hear people screaming about the corruption of the road officals, about how they don't care about how deadly the roads are? Did I hear people shouting about the need to form "volunteer" armies, and draft construction workers, just so that we can fix these roads and prevent future accidents? Did I hear people declaring that we're inhumane for even tolerating these car accidents?
No, of course not. All the Influentials in Chimerica know full well that to fix roads would be a pointless quagmire; we may build our roads a little bit better, but people can and will still die in horrible, horrible car accidents. Indeed, you know full well: you too have rejected all attempts to build infrastructre, because you wanted more funds to be devoted to your health care clinics. Even if we could, we just don't have the resources at the moment; we are currently at the risk of default.
Yet, more people die from car accidents than they do from the Farsante Guard! Why should one type of death be prioritized over another? Death is death, Dr. Escobar. And I want to save what little money we have in Chimerica, and spend it on what deaths that we
have a chance at stopping. And we don't have a chance at stopping the reactos.
I'm sorry, but if you seen what I have seen, you would be ashamed.
I don't want a default, so we have to listen to the IMF, and secure more loans. Yeah...Escobar isn't really going to like hearing this news.
We keep on trudging through the game, reaffirming the status quo, receiving US economic aid, until we reach Year 3, Rainy Season, which is when its time we hold elections. Still no Ehrlich in sight.
Both the Left and the Right hates my guts and want elections. Since I don't have the support of either National Liberaton or Popular Stability, that means...
Woo-hoo! So, uh, how we're going to win this?
...uh...
...yeah, our guys are getting beaten up. I don't think that accepting US aid is going to help us at all. Sorry. Look, I want to talk to the Americans directly, I want to know where is---
...oh my god.
YES! Yes, we accept financial aid from the US government. Give Colonel Ehrlich all the intelligence he needs.
Oh, you Popular Stabilitarians are just jealous.
So this is it. Me with US electoral aid! Can this stop anything?
...uh...nope.
I have not been able to replicate the glitch where the US sends me military aid, and thus I cannot see if US military aid could affect my chances at winning. Gah. I thought US military aid is tied to how much economic aid, but that might be wrong. Maybe I should try to boost my relatonship with the Americans some more through International Affairs, or refusing Commie aid? Maybe?
This Run isn't a total loss though, check out PaxAmericana for a glitch.