Libro de hechos sobre la República Popular de Rio de Argento

[Rio de Argento]

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"Libro de hechos sobre la República Popular de Rio de Argento"

Bienvenidos Compañeros!

This Government sponsored information site will provide you with all the facts and figures you will need to be aware of when dealing with the People's Republic of Rio de Argento on the international stage. I have been authorised by El Presidente himself to release certain documents into the international sphere, after years of being highly classified, in order to promote understanding, cooperation and brotherhood with the peoples of other nations.

We will begin with a brief history of the nation and our most glorious revolution, as well as an overview of our geography, our political system and of course, a biography of our beloved leader, Presidente Antonio de la Mancha. I hope, that over the course of this information pack, you, dear reader, will come to the conclusion that so many before you have reached; El Presidente is the only political leader who can be trusted with the hopes and fears of the working man, and that only through him (and the Party) can the people free themselves from the chains of the imperialist aggressors.

For those with only the slightest of interest in our glorious nation (by which I mean 'likely Capitalist pig-dog aggressor Imperialists'), I have prepared a quick summary below. For those of you with a deeper curiosity about our nation, please read on...

Official Title: The People's Republic of Rio de Argento
Government Type: Socialist Dictatorship
Population: Approx 7 Million
Area: 9,123,012 Km2
Current President: Presidente Antonio de la Mancha
Current Foreign Minister: People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Jose Landrez
Major Industry: Sugar cultivation, processing. Cigars, Pineapple.
Currency: Peso
Official Language: Spanish
Racial Make-up 65% Hispanic, 15% Afro-Carribbean, 10% mixed race, 6% Amerindians, 4% other.

For the answer to any questions not addressed within the pages of this information site, please contact the Argentan Consulate in your nation, or, failing that, the Argentan Foreign Affairs Commissariat, by Telegram.

Hasta la victoria siempre!

[Rio de Argento]

La Historia/History

The Island of Rio de Argento was discovered by Spanish explorers in 1612 CE. It was inhabited by around 10,000 native Amerindians, who (lacking the weapons and tactical know-how of the Conquistadors), were quickly enslaved, mostly without a fight. In 1618, the Island was declared an official Spanish Colony, and Hidalgo Juan Fernadez de Playa del Sol y Pequeño Sevilla (Pictured Below) was declared the first Governor. He was joined by a large number of Spanish immigrants, as well as (later) many black slaves from Africa.

The main product of the Island was sugar, and slaves were imported from Africa to work the Sugar Plantations. Spaniards or all classes kept seperate from the slaves, and an apartheid-like system was instated. Of course, there was much secret interbreeding, and a large class of mixed race labourers was created this way. The racial division of the Island can be seen in its geography also, with Native Amerindians living on the outskirts of towns, often in traditional tribal villages, the Black labourers being kept in townships close to the Sugar Plantations, and the main cities and towns being reserved for Spanish immigrants.

The island continued in much the same way for hundreds of years. The Spanish Empire was mostly defeated during the mid-nineteenth century, but along with Cuba, Rio de Argento was not liberated during these wars. Its size meant that it had not attracted the support of Latin American liberators, and its large Spanish naval garrison had made local uprising impossible.

However, with the U.S/Spanish War of 1898, Spain was forced to grant independence to the island. This led immediately to the Rio de Argetan Civil War (1898-1901). This long, bloody war ended in a victory for the military, led by General Ignacio Francesco (pictured below) who declared himself the first President of an independent Rio de Argento. He was descended from Spanish nobility, and imposed martial law upon the island. Most of the policies of the previous colonial government were upheld, including the racial apartheid laws. As well as this, repression of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and economic mobility was increased, leading to a land-owner "aristocracy" having complete control of the islands political and economic life.

The General ruled Rio de Argento until his death in 1932, when he was replaced by his designated successor, General Alfredo Landrez de la Tasca. General la Tasca continued the fascist regime set in place by his predecessor, and even flirted with the idea of joining the Axis powers during the early stages of the Second World War. Below is a photograph of General la Tasca during his only state visit to Germany, in 1938.

However, the entry of the United States on the side of the Allies made any Carribbean front in the war impossible, and General La Tasca did all he could to distance himself from the Nazis, even going so far as to declare war on them, 2 days before the surrender of Germany in 1945. As well as this, he opened up the island to American investment, with large industrial sugar companies taking advantage of the island's fertile ground. However, this was extremely negative for the people of Rio de Argento. With the influx of Americans, it became more difficult for locals to get jobs, the price of food rose exponentially, political repression became ever more rigid, and anyone who spoke out about the government or the corporations tended to "vanish".

During the Cold War, Rio de Argentan Communists appealed to the Soviet Union for aid. It came, in the form of weapons, money and ideological training. In 1975, a Argentan who had been studying in Moscow returned to his native island. That man was Antonio de la Mancha, future Presidente and hero of the Revolution. The aging General la Tasca had been losing control of his government for some time now, and with his death in 1977, the Communist Rebels, who had been building up strength for years, pounced.

The Revolution stormed the Capital during the state funeral of La Tasca, overwhelming the leaderless military within a matter of hours. The army, retreated to the Industrial Estates of the capital, where American mercenaries gave them support in order to protect the business interests of their imperialist masters. It was some months before they were defeated, and many brave Socialists died in wiping the Capitalist running-dogs from the island. El Presidente himself was wounded here, being shot through his left hand as he attempted to aid a wounded Comrade.

However, despite the fierce resistance of the American Mercenaries and their Argentan Capitalist allies, eventually Socialism triumphed on the Island. December 9th, 1977, Rio de Argento was declared a Socialist Republic. Over the next few days, it was recognised, first by the U.S.S.R and Warsaw Pact members, then by non-aligned states, and finally, in 1989, by NATO. Antonio de la Mancha (pictured below), leader of the Argentan Communist Workers Party, was declared El Presidente on December 11, 1977.

His policies and ideology will be expanded on in the next part of this Factbook.

[Rio de Argento]

Politics and Ideology

The policies which President la Mancha has pursued during his regime have been complex and varied. They have changed over time, progressing from authoritarian Communism, to a more humanitarian and liberal Socialist platform. However, certain elements of his personal ideology have remained the same. We will now examine these core beliefs, in order to gain an insight into the nation they have created.

Marxism

"If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine."-Antonio de la Mancha, 1973, a speech to the University of Moscow

The teachings of Karl Marx are central tenets of the Argetan Government policy. It seeks to abolish private property, for the workers to own the means of production, and to sweep away national borders and states, resulting in a world commune, where no man must sell his labour to others to put food on the table, where religion and race are irrelevancies, where lack of property causes lack of crime, where people are free to pursue artistic interests, free from the constricting psychological cage of consumer culture. Indeed, Marxism aims to create freedom for all equally, and a utopian society in which want and oppression are things of the past.

This a major motivating force in La Manchan Ideology. As well as Marx, the works of Jean-Paul Satre, Engels, Lenin and Castro have influenced his thinking, and he has taken elements from each to come up with a leftist ideology suited to Rio de Argento, known as "La Manchan thought", or occassionally, "Socialism with Argentan Characteristics."

It is due to these sympathies that all private business ownership was abolished within months of the Revolution, with foreign and local companies alike being nationalised, that their profits may be made to work for the people who toiled in them. A State Welfare System was introduced, to support those with disablities or who were too old to work, a State Healthcare System was created to treat those who fell ill whilst building the Revolution, and Free Housing for all was declared, with the construction of vast housing communes by the government. Much of this was funded by aid sent by the Soviet Union.

The racial discrimination laws were repealed, making all men equal, regardless of their skin colour. Women were emancipated, allowing them to contribute to the future, just as men did. Indeed, they were included in the Conscription Bill. The Catholic Church was allowed to continue it's existance, but was no longer the national church, and had to pay taxes to the People's Government. Gay Marriage was made legal, as discrimination due to sexuality is just as wrong as that based on race. Abortions and Contraception, formerly illegal under the Fascist Government, were finally legalised, leading to significant drops in sexually transmitted diseases. Trade Unions were abolished, as they were no longer needed as a voice for the worker, as the Government now spoke for all workers, the world over! Food was distributed to the starving, medicine to the sick, and the people imprisoned by the Fascist regime were freed, to return to their families. Seeds and fertiliser were distributed to the farmers, who were all given a share of what the farm produced, and both the Army and Police underwent political training, to make them aware that they were servants of the People, and not the other way around.

Freedom of Speech and Political Freedoms have yet to be introduced. This is because, due to the constant state of Revolutionary upheaval neccessary in building the Socialist Future, any change of leadership could be a disaster for the nation. Freedom of Speech is permitted in a limited capacity, but slanderous lies by Capitalist puppets and rightist agents are treated extremely seriously.

Militarism

Militarism may seem to contradict many of the values proscribed above. However, La Manchan Thought is very specific on this subject.

"We must carry the war into every corner the enemy happens to carry it: to his home, to his centers of entertainment; a total war."- Antonio de la Mancha, 1976, before a series of Guerrilla attacks on Capitalist homes.

The Revolution cannot succeed in just one small island. As mentioned earlier, it is the intention of Socialism to abolish national boundaries, so that man will no longer be divided by national origin, and will only be able to focus on the shared humanity of men. As such, victory in Rio de Argento is not the end, but merely the beginning. Revolution must be exported, first to the other nations enslaved by Imperialists, and then, to the Imperialist nations themselves. The people, world-wide, must be liberated from the yoke of their Capitalist oppressors and the savagery of wage-slavery. Men are not machines, simply to be profited from, or sent off to die, they are not robots, they are men, and must be treated as such.

To this end, the youth of Rio de Argento undergo rigorous military training. Should the Imperialist enemy attempt an invasion of our glorious Socialist motherland, they would be met with a well-trained, idealogically motivated local gurrilla movement, as well as the conventional forces of the state. It can be seen from history that even the best equipped, most committed enemy can be defeated by a determined and ideologically motivated gurerilla force, and that is exactly what the "Red Brigades" are. In this way, both conventional military service and guerrilla tactics are some of the greatest duties a Socialist can perform in the name of international liberation.

Humanism

La Manchan thought rejects traditional ideas about religion. In the words of Marx, "Religion is the opiate of the masses", and serves to do nothing but divide the working man, as well as reassuring him that his 'lot' is only for this life, and that if he acts as society wishes, he will be rewarded in heaven. Religion was created by the ruling classes in order to keep the peasantry subservient, and the only way to truly embrace humanity is through secular, atheistic morality, not based on ancient scriptures or fairy stories, but instead on the common humanity of us all, and the shared beliefs, needs and fears of the people.

In Rio de Argento, there is no longer a state religion. For centuries it was Catholicism, but this has been rescinded. The Catholic Church is still the most prevalant religious organisation on the island, as whilst religion is a cancer on the conciousness of the working man, the Government does not believe he should be forcibly made to abandon it. Instead, children are taught Marx's theories on it in schools, and in time, it will die out naturally, without violence. Whilst President la Mancha was baptised a Catholic, he ceased practice in early adulthood, appalled by the Churches contradictory teachings. Instead, whilst respecting the ideas that Jesus put forward about helping your fellow man, he now derides all organised relgions as false.

[Rio de Argento]

Government of the People's Republic

The Communist Workers Party of Rio de Argento

This is the ruling Party of Rio de Argento, founded in 1932 in secret. It is the only legal political party, as others would simply become corrupted with the funds and false ideologies of foreign and Imperialistic powers. The Party speaks for the workers in all matters. Anyone can join the Party, from the lowest peasant to the President himself. All Government workers must be members of the Party, and attend weekly seminars during which they are educated in Marxist policy, as well as La Manchan Thought.

The Chairman of the Communist Workers Party is the President, Antonio de la Mancha.

Government System

The lowest level of Government in the Republic is the Regional Assembly. Peasants who are members of the party can stand for election to the Regional Assembly. They are voted for by the People, and once elected, have powers to make local laws in certain areas. For example, they can set the levels of fines, grant liquor licences, order the building of housing blocks and such.

The next level of Government is the State Assembly. Members of Regional Assemblies can stand for election to the State Assembly, and will be voted for by their fellow Regional Assembly-men. This is because their fellow Regional Assembly-men are more aquainted with the Political System than the common-man, and in a better position to vote for State Assembly-men. The State assembly can enact laws over entire states. For example, is gambling legal in that state? Is it permissable to own guns? Will toll-roads be enacted? Does the state require another hospital? All this issues are within the remit of the State Assembly.

The next level is the Politburo, also known as the National Assembly. Politburo members are elected from amongst State Assemblies, by State Assembly-men. This is the highest level of Assembly.

The President (also the Chairman of the Politburo and Communist Party) is at the top. He is elected from the Politburo, by his fellow members. He proposes national laws, which are then voted on by the Politburo members. If they vote against him, he must accept it, unless he feels that it is neccessary for national security, in which case he can overrule the Politburo using his veto. In Foreign Policy, he has almost complete control and there is little limtation to his power. He appoints a Vice-President from amongst the Politburo, who acts as a deputy, and will take over in case of assassination.

COMINTERN

Not to be confused with the International Socialist Alliance of the same name.

COMINTERN stands for Communist International. It is the foreign policy organisation of the Argentan Government, aimed at the gradual spread of Communist ideals to other nations, through diplomacy and good relations. It is also aimed at the defence of Communism, in Rio de Argento or overseas. Indeed, a COMINTERN international volunteers brigade exists, that allows for those truly committed to fight for Communism to go overseas, where their foreign socialist brothers are fighting against Imperialism in their own homes and streets. The aim of COMINTERN is the destruction of Imperialism and Capitalism, through both diplomacy and intervention, whichever is deemed necessary.

The current head of COMINTERN is the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Jose Landrez.

[Rio de Argento]

The Revolutionary Liberation Forces of the People's Republic

Whilst the People's Republic of Rio de Argento as well as it's most glorious and excellent Presidente wish for a peaceful and cooperative world where armed forces are the relics of a brutal past, it is unfortunately necessary to maintain military forces to protect the home of the Socialist Revolution against the agents of Imperialism and Capitalism. To this end, several distinct military forces exist within Rio de Argento.

The People's Liberation Army

The People's Liberation Army was originally the militant wing of the Socialist Worker's Party, but after the Communist victory in 1977, it became the national army. As such, it maintains a proud tradition of guerrilla warfare, and indeed this would be it's main form of resistance should the enemy invade Argentan Territory. However, it is also equipped and trained for conventional warfare, should the need arise.

Being a guerrilla focussed force, the People's Liberation Army is a largely infantry based force, armed with assualt rifles, other small arms, and light artillery like mortars. It is also trained in survival techniques, allowing troops to live of the land and set traps for less well aclimatised foreign troops.

However, for conventional warfare, it is also trained in the use of heavier artillery, armoured cars and light/medium tanks. Due to the heavy jungle and weak roads of Rio de Argento, heavier tanks tend to get bogged down in both cities and jungles, making armour relatively unsuitable for operations in Rio de Argento.

Below is an image of the People's Liberation Army celebrating after a victory in wargames against the Socialist Revolutionary Airforce of Rio de Argento.

The Socialist Revolutionary Airforce of Rio de Argento

The Socialist Revolutionary Airforce of Rio de Argento was founded in 1977, from the remnants of the old "Rio de Argentan Air-Force", the airforce of the Fascist regime that preceded the current Socialist government. Due to obsolete equipment, the airforce had played a minor role in the Revolutionary War, and it's airfields were quickly captured by the Socialists.

At the wars end, many Fascist pilots were granted amnesty in return for their technical knowhow. As a result of this pool of manpower, (combined with much political reeducation), the newly formed Socialist Revolutionary Airforce was up and flying just months after the Communist victory. However, due to funding problems and the small size of the Airforce, it remains to this day a "back-up" force. It consists mainly of transport helicopters for the movement of ground forces, attack helicopters for close ground support, and some sea-planes, used to watch over the Islands maritime frontiers.

Pictured below is the Socialist Revolutionary Airforce in action, with three Chinook transport helicopters bringing supplies to guerrilla forces on a long march through the jungle.

The People's Revolutionary Maritime Defence Forces

The People's Revolutionary Maritime Defence Forces are technically a division of the Army, but they have significant autonomy over their own actions and budget, and some small interservice rivalry has erupted between them and the larger, more famous PLA. Once again, the PRMDF was founded out of the ashes of the Fascist "Argentan Republican Navy". The officers were reeducated, and then put back into the exact roles that they had previously served under.

This is because the Communist Rebels, having great experience of land and guerrilla warfare, had next to no knowledge about air and sea combat, so political differences were overlooked in exchange for the defence of the nation.

The PRMDF has two main functions. To protect the maritime borders of the People's Republic, and to prevent dissidents from escaping the Island. It is feared that they would quickly betray national secrets if they were allowed to leave, and as such, would be emigrants must either acquire a permit or face the risk of PRMDF attack.

Below is an image of PRMDF sailors in their standard patrol craft, protecting the frontiers of Socialism against Imperialist attack.