Nation in Turmoil - A LatAm Political RPm (IC - Open!)

[Madrinpoor]

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The Out Of Character • The Parliament Thread • The Discord

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CURRENT DATE

April 2022 (until election day)

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Everybody, if your character is new to the RP, please make an IC introduction post to your character(s) that lets us know a little about who they are — maybe they're talking with advisors, maybe they're at a baptism, or engaging the community or visiting Davos. Be creative!

[Madrinpoor]

GOBIERNO DE UNIDAD NACIONAL CARBANIA
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MISSIVE REGARDING ELECTORAL LAW
First of January, 2022

For all Carbanians,

In compliance with the NATIONAL DEMOCRACY COMPACT of 2018, the Carbania National Unity Government has established a system of rules, laws, and timelines for the elections scheduled to be taking place on 30 April 2022, and 30 June, 2022.

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS and PROVINCIAL/LOCAL ELECTIONS will take place on 30 April, 2022, and the votes tallied for no longer than one week afterwards, to prevent irregularity...the filing deadline for PARTY LISTS and PROVINCIAL/LOCAL ELECTED OFFICES will be no later than one week prior, on 23 April, 2022. The Parliament shall be elected in a PROPORTIONAL LIST, differing by province, each of which will have a number of MPs according to their population. The Parliament shall be comprised of 301 members overall, and the distribution by province will be as follows:

The Province of Camparroz - 48
The Province of Velanzuela - 46
The Province of Bolívar y Carbán - 44
The Federal District of Intichiquan - 39
The Province of Buñuel - 35
The Province of Tres Rios - 31
The Province of Alturas Carbania - 29
The Province of Mugre Oro - 28
Special Seat - 1

One seat is RESERVED for the candidate in the PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION that receives second-highest place in the vote, and will remain vacant until that point; if the candidate wishes to decline it, it will go to a member of their party, and if the candidate runs without a party, the seat will remain vacant.

The PRESIDENT of Carbania, the executive office, will be elected in a two-stage runoff election...if no candidate receives more than fifty per-cent of the vote, then there should be a runoff between the two largest vote recipients no more than ONE MONTH following. Each party may only submit one candidate for President, and voters may only vote for one candidate. The elections and filing deadlines for the Presidential race will be the same as those for the other races in the General Election. The election for the PRESIDENT shall be held

Elections shall be monitored by representatives sent from the ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES and the UNITED NATIONS; the 15-member Supreme Court will arbiter any disputes.

With Patriotic Spirit,
Carbania National Unity Government

Chancellor Bruno Pedregon

[Guagolandum]

Walking by the streets casually
I sometimes wonder if getting in this politics thing was a good choice. I've lived through many things, participated in many strikes against the junta, and here we are, soon to hold elections after a long time. But, would we alone be enough to win absolute or even simple majority?...

[Jovuistan]

PAZ DE LUNA
JANUARY 1ST, 2022
MANUEL OTERO

The leader of the MPL slumped back in his car seat. The streets of Paz De Luna were quite lively on New Year's Day as Manuel Otero was being driven to the party's regional headquarters for an important meeting, the driver's seat being occupied by close friend and head coordinator of the Movimiento's Alturas operations, Joaquin Morales. Manuel once more scanned over the interim government's announcement regarding the elections.

"At least they've committed to democracy, that's almost a shocker." He shook his head, admitting internally that his previous concerns about the temporary administration's intentions were on the paranoid end, though his pride would externally deny it. Joaquin just chuckled, "Means we don't have to worry about going back to shooting anybody. Being able to live in peace has been nice for a change." Manuel, for his part, couldn't deny that, "Thank the lord, if that's what I believed." The two shared a small laugh. Privately, Otero didn't have faith in a higher power, but of course he'd keep up the appearance of a catholic man for the sake of his political viability. A little white lie for the country's sake didn't hurt anyone. "Really, we've come so far, everyone sacrificed so much. Carbanians in general needed a break from that tyranny shit. Those bastards in Mandes' camp got what they deserved."

Thinking about it for a moment, Manuel decided to send out a tweet to the masses in regards to the news.

Manuel Otero @ManuelOtero Great news that for the first time in many Carbanians' lifetimes, we have the power to decide who will lead our nation. I promise the MPL's campaign will put the priorities of people first, not profits and selfish interests. This is our time!

[Reorganized Portugal]

Date: January 2, 2022
Location: Santiago de Carbania, Camparroz

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Jose Antonio Rabellino stepped off the bus in the main part of town. On the way to the meeting location, Rabellino shook a hand or two with a passing person, but many only glanced at him or ignored him completely.

He arrived at the building and went into the meeting room the Catholic Democratic Party Organization had rented for today. "Mr. Rabellino, so glad you could make it." an advisor politely said to him as he took his seat. "Why wouldn't I be here? This is about me, after all."

The meeting was short. "You're running for President, I assume." another advisor asked him.
"Yes, yes. The time has finally come."
"Wonderful!" another female advisor said. "Just wonderful. A nation's future being shaped before my eyes! Amazing."
The group looked at her, confused. "Yesss... yes. Anyways, I will be making the announcement to the people soon."
"I already have your speech prepared, Mr. Rabellino." said one of his speechwriters, holding a single page of speech. "This should really get the ball rolling. Soon enough, Carbania will yell your name in jubilation."
Raballino looked at the crucifix on the wall. "I do hope so, with the grace of God."

[Guagolandum]

José Antonio García
January 2, 2022
was walking towards his office in the Labour headquarters located in Intichiquan, recently constructed. He meets Dr. Quispe, and they talk about party and personal issues. After some minutes, he finally walks in his office and starts recording:

"Greetings, Carbanian people. The oligarchs are fulfilling their promise of democracy, doing the only good thing they have ever done for our country. I call for you to not let the same barbarians -be it militarists, be it ultranationalists, be it communists- to rule us as has happened for our entire period of independence! Our people do not need to endure suffering under cruel dictators who favour their interests and those of their inner circle above the people's interests! We must end clientelism democratically, for no one ore than us can! Younger generations, you must invoke the spirit of the Jericho Marches! Of the '98 strike! And for older generations, don't let your children and grandchildren suffer the same as us when those tyrannical barbarians took over our country! End discrimination towards our Indigenous and Afro-descendant brothers! And let's not forget the LGBT+ collective, which has been oppressed for already 50 years... I call for you to not relinquish our newly adquired democracy and think twice on who are you voting! The masses are with democracy! Those who believe, remember God does not love dictatorships, injustice, inequality and tyranny! Those who don't: is human suffering acceptable? Of course not! Regardless of our beliefs, our race, our sex, our religion and all that makes us different while in unity: we must defend what is ours. And that is democracy. Thank you."

And as he stops the recording, he tweets:

José A. García Rodríguez
@JoseGLabor
Let's not give up our newly adquired democracy. Those demagogues in the far-right and far-left mustn't make us relinquish this right we've aimed for the last 50 years. Labourism is life!

[Sao Nova Europa]

January 2

Alan Castañeda was flanked by cameras as he was about to make his announcement. His long career as essayist in the WSJ and then Carbanian media, along with his ties with business elites and the fact that his father was one of the longer lasting finance ministers in the country's history, meant that there was media interest about his announcement: that he would run for President of Carbania. He smiled before the cameras. "Greetings my fellow citizens," he said. "I would like to announce my intention to run for President of this great nation."

"I am an economist by training, having studied at Columbia University. I have taught at the New York University Business School and the Intichiquan Business School. I believe I have the technocratic expertise needed to fix our economy, modernize our public sector and move our country to the future. I would also like to believe that I have the integrity and strength of character necessary for a political leader. I can understand some people scoffing at this statement. It is a common idea - unfortunately - that all politicians are liars. But I hope to prove this to not be true with the simple act of stating what I believe to be right for this nation regardless of political cost."

"Too many times politicians lie and pander to people in order to get elected, preferring to tell to the voters what they want to hear instead of what is right. I don't want to do this. In fact - and I would like to make this clear - I would prefer to lose the elections by saying what I believe to be true than win the elections by spreading falsehoods that sound sweet but are bitter in truth. I believe that great political leaders have courage in their convictions, and that is what I will strive for."

"My idea for a modern Carbania is a country led by experienced technocrats. If I become President and the PLP does well in the legislative elections, I promise to push for technocrats to be appointed in cabinet positions. Why? Firstly, because technocrats have the necessary expertise to be efficient in their posts. They are people who know what they are doing because they've spend years training on their subject. This will improve the performance of our government. Secondly, technocrats - unlike politicians - do not run in elections and as such they are willing to implement policies that are correct and necessary, even if they may be unpopular. They are people who care about doing what is right than doing what will give them a temporary boost in the polls."

"I also promise that I will be appointing people who are relative young. We need new blood in politics, people with innovative ideas and a grasp of the modern, globalized world and the fourth industrial revolution. I'll also strive for gender balance. While I cannot promise that there will be true balance - after all I want to make appointments based on merit first and foremost -, I want to promise that women will have a voice in this new government. We cannot ignore half of our population. I also promise to appoint an indigenous person in the Ministry for Indigenous Affairs. We cannot tolerate racism and bigotry."

"I aim to kickstart our economy. Unfortunately our nation is not doing well right now. We need to do more: to create new jobs and uplift people from poverty. I know that the sirens of populism are alluring. There are politicians who promise to 'redistribute the wealth'. And I would agree if we were a rich country. But we are not. We must first create wealth. Once we have created wealth, then we can debate how to distribute it. But we cannot distribute misery and call it 'social justice'. As an economist I can tell you that nations that experience economic growth do so because they protect property rights, have a modern administration, have a simplified and low tax system and have low levels of corruption. Those are the four things we need to achieve."

"For a start, I promise to drastically slash taxes. We will simplify our tax code by eliminating a number of taxes and instituting a flat personal income tax of 15%, a flat corporate tax of 10% and a 12% value-added tax. This will achieve two things. Firstly, it will make Carbania internationally competitive and attract foreign direct investments that will create thousands of new, well-paying jobs. Secondly, it will allow ordinary Carbanians to keep more of their hard earned money. This means that customers will have more money to spend in businesses, and that business will also have more money to hire new staff and expand their operations."

"Secondly, I aim to completely reform our public administration. For a start, we should digitize all public services. Imagine if instead of having to wait in a counter for hours, you could do all your businesses with the government from your mobile phone through a single online portal. Imagine how many hours this would save, how much red tape will be eliminated and how much money we will save from waste. This will also eliminate corruption: by removing physical interactions, we remove the possibility of corrupt officials asking for bribes."

"I also plan to introduce evaluation reports for public servants. Those reports will be based on three factors: reviews by their managers, reviews by inspectors appointed by a parliamentary supermajority - in order to avoid partisanship - and reviews by the citizens. That's right. Citizens will have the right to review the performance of public officials they interact with: initially by being offered an official paper whenever they visit a public service, and eventually through a website once public administration is digitized. The combination of those three ratings will deem if a public employee is performing well or not. Those that perform well shall get a raise and those that perform badly will see a reduction in their wage. This will incentive public officials to work hard: after all, they are public servants."

"The combination of a simplified low tax system and a digitized and efficient public administration will attract foreign corporations to invest in our country. But growth must be inclusive and environmentally-friendly. One of the flagship proposals of this campaign is the establishment of a Minimum Guaranteed Income, a MGI. This will be financed by merging the various government welfare programs - that are often so complex and inefficient - into a single program that will grant direct cash payment via a government issued debit card to families below the poverty line."

"Direct cash transfers are better than traditional welfare programs. For a start, they cost less since there is a lot less bureaucracy to administer them and a lot less tape. They are simpler. This will save taxpayers money. Secondly, they give freedom to recipients. Those who receive the cash will be able to spend them as they see fit, without the government telling them how to behave. This is far more dignified than a nanny state socialists envision. This program will uplift people from poverty. I also aim to invest greatly into our educational system. We need more teachers, better classrooms with modernized facilities, and to introduce in our schools lessons on economic and digital literacy. This is an investment into our future. We need an educated youth in order to be able to compete in this new globalized world economy."

"With regards to the environment, we must understand that facing climate change is not something we must do simply because we want to preserve the pristine beauty of our landscape. Climate change is the greatest challenge we face as mankind, and we must do our part. It is especially important because in the new emerging green global economy, we must be on the side of the winners rather than the losers who are left behind. I aim to introduce a corporate carbon tax that will finance tax incentives and government subsidies for investments into renewable resources: this will create thousands of well-paying green jobs. I shall also push for stricter environmental regulations. The idea that environmentalism and economic growth are incompatible is obsolete: capitalism is going green all around the developed world."

"But we cannot have economic growth without security. I pledge to eliminate crime as President. I shall hire 2000 more police officers, procure modern equipment and increase wage for police officers. I shall also create new motorized, heavily equipped police units that shall regularly patrol the streets of our cities and put an end to gang activities. Sentences shall be harshened, especially for despicable crimes. But, at the same time, I shall move our prison system to a more humane direction. Those convicted for minor crimes - especially if they are first time offenders and youth - shall receive educational and job training. This means that instead of being forced into a life of crime, they will have a second chance once outside to rebuild their lives with the knowledge acquired from those programs. There is no greater success than turning criminals into upstanding, productive, law-abiding citizens."

"I shall also put an end to drug cartels by legalizing marijuana for recreative use. Yes, this is a proposal that will strike some as radical perhaps. But it was proposed by such conservative thinkers as Milton Friedman: hardly radical firebrands. It has also been enacted in such countries as Portugal and Canada, with great success. In Portugal, in the first five years after the reforms drug deaths dropped dramatically, and have remained below European average: 6 deaths per million among people aged 15-64, compared to the EU average of 23.7 per million."

"It is also time for a health-based, rather than criminalization-based, approach on drug issues. I would implement on national level a syringe access program to provide people with clean injection equipment to prevent syringe sharing, thus reducing blood-borne diseases. In the United States, Washington state implemented such a program and saw an 80% drop of new diagnoses of hepatitis B and C while the District of Columbia, which has also implemented a syringe access program, saw 70% decrease in HIV infections and saved more than 44 million dollars in health-related costs. This will save us money while breaking the powers of drug cartels.”

"So let us move Carbania to the future. Let us create a modernized and digitized public administration that actually serves the public. Let us cut taxes and attract foreign direct investment. Let us uplift people from poverty through freedom than state mandates. Let us ensure economic growth is inclusive and green. Let us improve the state of our educational system and create a bright new generation. Let us bring security to our streets. Let us break the power of drug cartels. Let us create a modern Carbania: one that is closer to Canada or Germany than Cuba or Venezuela."

"It's a time for change!"

[Reverend Norv]

2 JANUARY 2022
SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
CATEDRAL DE SAN FERNANDO
INTICHIQUAN, CARBANIA

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The Intichiquan cathedral dated from the sixteenth century. It was a Rennaissance gothic pile of local stone. Many of those stones, Pedro Ordonez knew, had been ripped from Inca temples and monuments. The building was unheated, and pleasantly cool inside - despite the smothering wet heat of an Intichiquan January. Saints and martyrs stared from paintings and stained-glass windows, and their statutes towered above the nave. The pews were full, this morning: Intichiquan's business and political and military elite sat toward the front, and the rest of the massive space was filled by the city's common people. Beside the altar was an elevated pulpit, carved with vines and leaves and liturgical symbols. From his perch in that pulpit, Ordonez could see a number of faces in the congregation - faces he recognized from the news and the papers. More than likely, the archbishop reflected, Carbania's next president was seated in the cathedral at that very moment.

The echoes of Archdeacon Flores' powerful voice pulled Ordonez from his reverie. The archdeacon finished the gospel reading for the day, and an acolyte closed the Bible. As the congregation murmured its Amen, the procession wound its way back to the altar, and Ordonez stood up.

The archbishop was a handsome man, and though his face was set and haggard, he still looked younger than his forty-eight years. But as he stood, Ordonez moved like a much older man: slowly, with a grim persistence that spoke of pain with every shift of his joints. He crossed himself awkwardly, keeping his shoulder and his elbow low and moving only his wrist. The congregation watched reverently. They knew that this man's shoulders had been broken in the Torre de Hierro, and that he could not raise his arms by more than ninety degrees. His crabbed movements were a mark of martyrdom.

"In nomine patris, et filii, et spiritui sancti." Ordonez's voice, at least, had largely recovered; four years ago, it had been hoarse with laryngeal scarring from his screams. Now, it was firm and resonant, and only a gravelly edge remained of his hoarseness. With difficulty, he spread his hands, and the congregation sat.

"Dear brothers and sisters." Ordonez looked up into the cameras wired to the cathedral's ceiling. "And all those who are joining us today from afar." Cathedral services were livestreamed and recorded, and Ordonez's homilies regularly received millions of views on the internet. "Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. It's a happy day, a day when the Three Kings bring gifts, and the Church brings cake." A chuckle ran through the parishioners, and Ordonez wagged a finger, mock-stern. "On the plaza. After the mass. I have a bit more to say still." Another chuckle, and Ordonez waited for it to subside.

"And it is a great day for this nation, also." The archbishop nodded to himself. "We know now that in less than two months, democracy will truly return." Ordonez's eyes rested on some of the senior military officers who sat stiffly in the foremost pews. "And peace, we may earnestly pray, will follow. A new day for Carbania."

"But Epiphany is not truly about the Three Kings, or about cake - much though we love them both. It is about revelation. Epiphany - epipháneia - is an appearance. Sudden. Unexpected." Ordonez abruptly slapped the railing of the pulpit, and many of his parishioners startled in their seats. "Revelation takes you by surprise. By definition, it is never what you were waiting for. It may not even be what you wanted to find. But it is the truth, nonetheless."

"Consider the Three Kings." Ordonez was warming to his topic now. "They followed a star in the night sky. They knew, surely, that something miraculous waited at its end: the King of the Jews. They told Herod that they had observed this king's star at its rising." Ordonez smiled. "Now, most kings do not get a star that floats through the night sky just for them. So this must have been a special kind of king - a very King of Kings. And surely that is what the Three Kings expected to find: a monarch greater even than themselves. They brought gold and frankincense and myrrh: gifts for a king who could move the stars." Ordonez's voice rang from the stone ceiling of the nave. "They must have expected palaces, servants, gilded halls and mosaic floors, sweet wine and vast feats! They must have expected all the power and pageantry of a ruler who could command the very heavens." Suddenly, the archbishop's voice dropped. "Just think of all they must have expected to find."

"And what did they find?" Ordonez turned, and pointed with difficulty to the nativity scene depicted in one of the stained-glass windows. "Filth. Barnyard filth. And in that filth - the only shelter they could find - a young couple, dragged far from home by an uncaring government so that they could register for the census." Ordonez's gaze fixed on the military officers in his congregation. "Perhaps the Romans called it concentrating the population." His dark eyes shifted to some of the businessmen. "Or perhaps they called it slum clearance."

"But whatever they called it, these men drove Joseph and Mary from their homes, drove them onto the weary road, left them penniless on the doorstep of an overbooked hotel, drove them to the manger. To sleep with the animals, amid the hay and the dung, in the close dark stink." Ordonez raised his eyebrows. "And that is where the Three Kings found them. That is where the star stopped. No palace, no servants, no gilded halls, no wine, no food at all. Just the hay and the dung and the stink and the filth, and a young woman screaming in labor because there was no one there to help."

For a long moment, the cathedral was silent. Ordonez nodded. "And that," he said, "is the epiphany. That is the revelation. That the King of Kings, the power that sets the stars in motion, is not found in halls of gold. He commands no armies. He governs no cities. He owns no companies." Ordonez's eyes moved over his most powerful parishioners. "And yet He is King of Kings nonetheless. The Three Kings found what is most truly precious in the filth of a barnyard. They found what is most truly royal among the poor and oppressed, driven from their homes. They found what is most truly holy amid the blood and screams of a home birth - dangerous and dirty, an ordeal that too many of our poor sisters still know too well." The archbishop nodded. "It was not what the Three Kings were waiting for. It is not what they expected to find. But it was the truth, nonetheless."

"There are many kings here today." Ordonez waved a hand toward his congregation. "Kings of industry and learning; of government and arms; of factions and parties. Yesterday, you saw a star move too, did you not?" Ordonez smiled. "Yes, you saw a star move and beckon you toward power - popularity - rank and honor. Now you will follow that star, dear brothers and sisters. And what do you expect to find at the end of it? A golden palace, to be sure. Armies. Servants. Sweet wine and grand feasts. The respect of presidents and emperors. And power: the power to harm this country, or to help it." Ordonez's tone softened. "I believe, dear brothers and sisters, that most of you truly do want to help it."

"But remember. Epiphany" - Ordonez slapped the railing of the pulpit again, an explosive gunshot of a sound - "is never what you expect to find. Just ask the Three Kings who came before you. If you follow the star that God has set before you, I do not think it will lead you to the Presidential Palace." Ordonez waved a hand. "Some of you may get there anyway, of course. But that is not where you will find what is truly precious, or royal, or holy. It is not even where you will find real power. No president can command the stars."

"No, I think you will find what the Three Kings before you found. If you go in search of true wealth, you will find it in the filth of a barnyard. If you go in search of true royalty, you will find it among the poor and oppressed. If you go in search of true holiness, you will find it amid the blood and pain of the downtrodden." Ordonez's voice built. "Because the King of Kings does not dwell in the Presidential Palace, and His power does not come from army brigades or policy platforms. He dwells among the poor, and those who love them love Him. That is where your star leads, dear brothers and sisters." Ordonez let his words hang in the air. "Your epiphany is waiting."

There was another, longer moment of silence. All eyes in the cathedral rested on a handful of men in the front pews. Then Pedro Ordonez nodded once. "Amen."

[New Luciannova]

Constanino "El Pulpo" Torre walked off his yacht, dressed in an admiral's uniform. The papers were wondering if he bought the commissioned rank itself or just the uniform, he even wasn't sure. That said, his fleet of freighters and handful of personal yachts, he owned a fleet that dwarfed the natural navy. He brought his beautiful American girlfriend down the docks and had her sent by car to his local estate. He would be joining some of his most prominent associates at his private country club and they were to form the nucleus of his own organization, "Partido Para Mañana Nueva" (PMN) that evening, and he felt keeping the 20-something out of it for the time being.
El Pulpo had owned a lot more than boats, golf courses, and fledging political parties, he also owned most business media in Cartania, the tallest building in Cartania, Olympus Tower, a professional football team, a university, a rail line, all the oil refineries worth knowing, the country's largest bank, hotels, casinos, and high-rise condominiums. Cartania had no anti-trust laws, so he bought whatever he wanted and then used it to exert monopolistic power from his business conglomorate, Prometheus Industries. This earned him the nickname "El Pulpo--the Octopus," as nobody knew how far his tentacles stretched and what they had grasped.
While the name was intended as an insult, Torre had worn it as a badge of honor and promptly built an aquarium with a substantial octopus exhibit, with tons of information about the cephalopod's inventiveness, intelligence, and complexity, hinting at himself the whole time. The octopus, sadly, was a short-lived animal, However, El Pulpo was expecting a long lifespan, at least his doctors had said so, and what he built would outlive him.
He had a large profile in the private sector, he was in politics to protect that, but also to secure his place in the pages of history. He was going to make himselff very rich, and bring the backwards and unstable country he called home with him.
El Pulpo looked at two men rolling large boxes into the country club, these were diorama models of what he wanted for Cartania, Wall Street, Manhattan, Silicon Valley, Hollywood, Disneyworld, Cancun, MIT and Oxford, a model of western exceptionalism. As his guests were filed in it was only a matter of time until he locked the doors and windows, shut the world out and started the most important Power Point in world history.
He looked at the (mostly) men in their tuxedos, he laughed as many said they looked like penguins, but to them he looked like an octopus, and that is exactly how he wanted it.

[Guagolandum]

José Antonio García
January 3, 2022
Labourist Party headquarters, Intichiquan

García was walking towards his office, again. This time, motivated by something he found -a video online of Alan Castañeda-. Castañeda's remarks and their few discrepances in economics made García think about the possibility of a coalition between the two. "Why not? This Castañeda folk knows about what he's talking about. A coalition between the two would truly empower Carbania!", he said. But he wasn't sure if he was going to run for President. As Quispe sat by his side, García made the decision mentally and calmly: he would not run for president, but for MP. "We need a third person to occupy the president candidature for our party", he said to Quispe. Quispe answered: "Yes, another one from the dictatorship-era Labourist Youth. Those guys surely knew the real suffering of the population". García had discrepancies. "I think the best option is a certain Pedro Quispe", said García. Quispe initially doubted, but he ended up agreeing with García's proposal. "And... sir, have you thought about coalitions?" said Quispe. "I was just checking PLP and its candidate Castañeda. I may call him to get to know him better and try to form a coalition, maybe. He's respectable", answered García.

Freedom and Progress Party headquarters, Intichiquan

"What the heck? In the blink of an eye, I'm here. I didn't even think about it", said García, visibly surprised. He then asked the guards to let him pass and he asked for Alan Castañeda...

In the thoughts of García, as he was walking, some words spawned: "I was formed in the National University of Carbania, in the middle of the dictatorship. And by a scholarship as my family didn't have enough money to afford the university... I studied International Relations and got a master in Political Sciences. I've wished for my entire adulthood to be a trained diplomat, but I guess it's better to reform my country for good by national means. The businessmen elite isn't a problem, because I don't aim to harm them and their businesses. So I guess I can reach a compromise with the centre-right without any moral dilemma for me."

Labourist Party headquarters, Intichiquan

Quispe is about to make the announcement to the people of Carbania. Quispe is a well-known labourist, who was part of the first generation of the Labourist Youth who were more centrist. He was García's best friend at the Labourist Youth, being a strong advocate of the theology of liberation too.

He started recording.

"Greetings, my fellow Carbanians! I wish you've had a glorious day so far! As many may know, I'm Gerardo Lacalle. I advocated for those accused of treason by the horrendous dictatorship that ruled us since 1972. I love changing our society and our country for good, to get past those obscure times. I'm a patriot, so that's why I'm announcing my intention of running for the office of President of Carbania. And in this position, I'll make sure no victim is forgotten."

"Any military officer who committed crimes shall pay in jail and to their victims. Past is past, but we also mustn't forget. Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it, they say. I'll also support civil unions for people of the LGBT+ collective. For afrodescendant and indigenous people, who have got little state attention, I'll set up quality education, schools, universities. I'll promote private enterprises, as long as they comply with the regulations that need to be made for the protection of our nature, our mother nature."

"As for education itself, we'll make some subjects voluntary starting from ninth (9th) grade, because that's an age in which students are deciding what they'll study in University. We need to give them time to focus on those subjects and the basic ones for their intelect. Private schools will need to comply with this essential rule too."

"About the minimum wage, yes, we'll increase it. But we also need to take in consideration that for this we must lower financial pressure on small and medium enterprises, so we'll lower taxes for those. Paid vacations? Maternity and paternity leaves? Yes. We'll have it. But in order to do that, I reckon, we must lower taxes for small and medium enterprises."

"We'll speak publicly about other issues soon. This video is just to let you know, my fellow Carbanians, that you've got a servant of the people as a presidential candidate, and everything I do in case I get to win, will be for you.

[Reorganized Portugal]

Date: January 3, 2022
Location: Intichiquan, Carbania

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Jose Antonio Rabellino stepped up to the podium. The cameras began to flash and the people looked upon him. He began to speak in a clear and pleasant tone.

"Good day to you all, fellow citizens of Carbania," he started. "I come before you today to announce my intention to run for President of this great nation."

He had said it. There was no going back now. But now, he had to introduce himself to the crowds. Camparroz knew him, but Carbania did not. "My name is Jose Antonio Rabellino," he said. "I am a native of Camparroz, I was born and raised in the rice fields of that state. For 60 years, I have lived in the fields of a cruel and repressive dictatorship. I know the struggles of the Carbanian farmer, and his triumphs, as well. I was raised a Catholic, and I take my faith seriously, as all Carbania should."

"I have seen a faith oppressed by a cruel and repressive dictator, from the start to the finish. The good teachings of Christ were oppressed, stifled, and ultimately nearly destroyed. It is time for Carbania to enter a new era, a new change. In a world that increasingly turns its back to Christ, we must turn forward, and act as a new beacon of freedom."

"Of course, my personal faith isn't the only thing I am running for. As I said, I want to help the struggling farmers in our country. I want to give them a chance to sell their goods to the Carbanian people by opening up the market, and establishing a capitalistic economic model. A free market is necessary for a thriving Carbanian economy. We must open up the market to allow Carbania to become the American economic model it has always dreamed of being."

"Taxes take away too much from the people, from you. A good government must have low taxes, to allow the people to prosper with their wealth, and the government to prosper with its own. As your President, I will work with the new Parliament to get the daunting burden of tax off of your shoulders, and allow you to be truly free."

"Although some may deny the existence of climate change, for whatever the reason they see fit, I do not. Climate change and global warming are some of the worst problems that face not only Carbania, not only America but our whole planet. If we want to live to see the next century, we must change the way we treat our environment. Other nations have succeeded in reducing their carbon emissions, especially in Switzerland, where emissions were reduced by 10% in 14 years, from 2000 to 2014. If Switzerland can do this, why can't Carbania? By doing simple things, such as expanding recycling and slowly moving to electric power, we can preserve our natural resources, reduce our carbon emissions, and do our part in making climate change a thing of the past!"

"It is time we move to make Carbania a greater nation. A nation of Christ, a nation of democracy and freedom, a nation that shall truly make an impact in the world. For the past fourteen ye- forty years, Carbania has been stuck in the past, its people repressed and tortured. Now, let us move Carbania into the future. A nation of farmers and businessmen alike, a nation of free people. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless our great nation!"

Rabellino stepped away from the podium, with the cheering and camera flashes still going on. "You did good, Mr. Rabellino." an advisor said to him as he stepped behind the curtain. "Could've been way better." he muttered.

[Guagolandum]

PLP headquarters, Intichiquan

"You know what? Forget it", said García. He simply went back.

He took a bus which left him at his street. He walked in his home, and there were his two children awaiting for their father with a smile on their face. García's wife was also there. He enjoyed some time with them and got to rest, knowing he had to go to a rally in the afternoon. The afternoon came, and he took another bus to the neighbourhood of Altaola, at the southeast of Intichiquan. He met with Pedro Quispe, presidential candidate for the Labourists.
Labourist Party rally, Altaola, Intichiquan


García and Quispe stood on the scaffold. There were several thousands there, in front of the two most influential people on the Labourist Party.

"We thank you for believing in us and extend a hug to you all and your families, fellow citizens. Welcome to this rally in which you'll hear what we propose in depth!"

García started speaking passionately: "In my native Camparroz, I had to see an extrajudicial killing every two days or so. Tumbes had political detention centers, and I can confirm those detention centers used some of the worst torture methods I've ever witnessed. I was tortured at a lesser extent than my parents or some other labourists who shared prison with me, thankfully. I think we all have a story or two about ourselves, or a family member -be it a parent, a brother, a son, a grandma, a grandpa- who was tortured by those jackals! The dictatorship was a very painful period for all Carbanians - we endured suffering for 50 years. But as we need them to pay, we need to forgive, because forgiveness lifts a burden of conscience that one could not imagine. We, the labourists, will legislate and -if you make it possible- govern for the people, and based in this principle, we will put all killers on trial! Ordinary justice? We'll see."

Quispe added a little bit to García's speech: "And I'm sure that, if you forgive, you'll help to create a better Carbania. A Carbania where we all live in peace, where past is past and there are no wounds still open. Being president is an enormous responsibility, but if I can change Carbania, I'll do it, by any means! We'll reform what needs to be reformed, lower what needs to be lowered and raise what needs to be raised, in order for Carbania to flourish!"

The rally continued for the entire afternoon, and after a long day, García could finally rest with his family. He fell asleep immediately and had a dream about him becoming PM of Carbania... with help from a mysterious man. That will surely have García thinking for this entire week.

[Nova Catania]

Jan 1, 2022
12:01PM
Rico Santana's apartment

As the clocks struck midnight, and bells rung in the New Year, Rico Santana stepped to the front of the room. The tapped his glass with his spoon to indicated a toast.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming here today. As my friends and family, I can't tell you how happy I am to have your support in my career. As we celebrate a new year, we can look to the future of Carbania. And you all know what I believe is the future. So, that is why I have decided to run for Parliament with my party, the PPI!" he announced.

The room filled with applause, and later, as they were watching the fireworks show, a friend came up to Rico and asked why he wasn't running for President.

"I'm not getting too ambitious here. We need to build public awareness of the PPI first. Besides, with all the big names running for President, I might not win." answered Rico. Rico was shrewd, he learned to pre-calculate his steps before doing them from his father. And now he was going to make his father proud.

"Para ti, Papa." Rico raised his glass to the sky overlooking the city, in honor of this deceased father.

Jan 2, 2022

Rico started his day like any other. He woke up, had his breakfast with coffee, took the kids to school, and went to the headquarters of the PPI. It was a room in a building near where his company's depot.

"Señor Santana!" exclaimed his aide. "Look!" he showed him the announcement about the elections.

"Ok, gather everyone, I want to speak with them." he said, taking a moment to put his thoughts in order.

Once everybody was there, he began speaking: "All right, people, first off I want to thank you for your commitment to this campaign. Progreso Por Industria is an important driving force for Carbania’s modernization. But more than that, it gives our people something to rally around.”

He continued: “Now, the reason I am running for Parliament is to cement the PPI’s reputation in this country. But there are over 300 seats up for grabs. One man isn’t enough to affect change. Nor are two men. But a whole party has the ability to be seen, heard, and listened to. I want each and every one of you to help grow the PPI. For Carbania, for a better future!”

After he gave his pep talk to his staffers, one came up to him and said: “Sir, I think I have an idea. There’s this party, the PMN, and according to my research, their platform is very similar to ours. I think an alliance would be good, seeing as they are better-funded.”

Rico liking the idea, asked the staffer: “Who is their leader?”

The staffer replied: “El Pulpo, sir.”

Rico’s hopefulness sort of faded on hearing this. But he kept a positive attitude. “At least he’s not a commie.” He said to himself, as he went over to his desk, to prepare a letter to El Pulpo and the PMN.

From the desk of Rico Santana

To: Constantino Torre

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rico Santana, I am the leader of the Progreso Por Industria party. It has come to my attention that our political parties share similar core beliefs. Therefore, I believe it is in our mutual interest to join forces for the upcoming parliamentary election.

As a fellow business leader, I’m sure you know the value of never wasting an opportunity. Well, this opportunity is one that cab help us achieve a common goal: a better, more modern Carbania. I hope you can consider this offer, and accept it. I look forward to our partnership, and the fulfillment of our goals.

Singed, Rico Santana, PPI

All that was left to do now was wait.

[Sao Nova Europa]

January 4

Sebastian Carnicero was one of the most prominent celebrities of Carbania. His parties with hot models and actresses were (in)famous and often the front page of lifestyle magazines while his real estate firm and appearance at "The Apprentice" had won him even more fame. So when he decided to announce he would be leading the PLP in the legislative elections, it came to no surprise to anyone that journalists were rushing to cover his announcement.

"My friends!" he said with a wide smile. "I haven't see so many journalists since that party I threw last month... I'm sorry to disappoint you folk, but there won't be any alcohol or hot women today." Some of the journalists audibly chuckled. "Yup, this announcement has to do with the future of Carbania. I have the privilege of being chosen to lead the PLP for the upcoming parliamentary elections. We have to change this country and move it forward. I'm sure you all heard the speech by our leader, Castañeda, who is running for President. If you hadn't heard it, I suggest you do so as soon as you can, because it was an awesome speech and highlighted the priorities of the PLP."

"We aim to change the way this country works. Let's be honest with ourselves: public administration is less than efficient. There is red tape, unnecessary bureaucracy, corruption. PLP aims to change this. We intent to run this country like we would run a business: lean, efficient and making a profit instead of adding up debt. We will completely digitize public administration. What this means in practice? Lots of money will be saved since transactions between individuals and the state will be far easier and shorter. Red tape will be eliminated. Imagine if instead of having to visit a dozen of public offices to get x and y paper, you could simply do all your dealings with the state through a mobile app while sitting in your couch, eating chips and drinking a cold beer. Wouldn't that be awesome? Corruption will be eliminated since without physical interactions no corrupt official will be able to ask for bribes."

"We also intent to evaluate public officials. You know, in the private sector you evaluate employees. In my corporation if employees are doing their job well, I give them a raise. If they are constantly screwing up, they get fired. That's how you run a business efficiently and make a profit. We aim to bring this business-like approach to public administration. Each year, every employee will be evaluated. Those that perform well will get a raise, those that perform badly shall see a cut in their wage and a warning that they will get fired if they keep screwing up. That way we will have a public administration that actually helps people, instead of infuriating them."

"PLP is the party that aims to kickstart our economy, and in parliament I'll be pushing for pro-market legislation. We aim to slash taxes for everyone. The more money people keep in their pockets, the better. After all, this is your hard-earned money and it shouldn't be wasted by a bloated, corrupt central government. Other parties want to make the government rich: PLP wants to make you rich. We believe in human liberty. That each man and woman should be able to spend their money - earned with sweat and tears - as they wish, and not as government bureaucrats wish."

"By cutting taxes, we will be able to attract direct foreign investments into Carbania. More investments means more jobs. More jobs means more people have money to spend. More consumers means that Carbanian businesses will make more money. In turn, they will be able to expand their operations and hire more people. That's how you make a country prosperous! By unleashing the creative power of the market instead of leashing it. Cutting taxes also means better wages. A lot of businesses are forced to pay substandard wages because otherwise they wouldn't make any profit. By cutting taxes, those businesses will make a lot more profit and so they will be able to raise wages without fearing they will go bankrupt."

"Aside from cutting taxes, I'll be pushing in parliament for the legislation of a Minimum Guaranteed Income. Yeah, you heard that right. In PLP we believe in inclusive growth. Families below the poverty line will receive directly cash from the government to aid them. How we will pay for this? By merging the various inefficient welfare programs and digitizing public administration. The problem with a lot of the welfare programs that socialists advocate for is that they are far too complex; they require lots of paperwork, verifications, bureaucrats to administer them. At some point you pay more money to administer the program than to actually help folk! With a MGI, you simply give out cash. No needless paperwork, no need for thousands of bureaucrats. It is simple, efficient and costs far less than traditional welfare programs while actually helping people out."

"As the leader of PLP in parliament, I shall fight for increased investment in education. The youth are the future of our country and we need to ensure that they have the skills to compete in this new globalized economy. With automation around the corner, basic education just ain't cutting it anymore. We need to hire more teachers, build better classrooms, introduce lessons on economic and digital literacy in schools, and hire psychologists to ensure the mental health of children: globally depression and loneliness is becoming a problem for youth, and we aim to address this problem."

"In parliament I shall also champion the cause of environmentalism. Folks, we have only one planet. Well... maybe we will be able to colonize Mars at some point thanks to [Elon Musk], but for the time-being we have to assume that there ain't any other planet habitable for humans. We cannot destroy it. Climate change is the greatest disaster humankind faces. We need to decarbonize by instituting a carbon tax for corporation: that money will allow us to offer tax incentives and subsidies to the renewable energy sector, thus both making Carbania environmentally friendly and creating thousands of new, well-paying green jobs in the process. Green growth folks! Capitalism and environmentalism can go hand in hand. With the right management, you can have both economic growth and protect the environment."

"A vote for PLP, is a vote for growth! A vote for PLP, is a vote for lean and efficient administration! A vote for PLP, is a vote for tax cuts! A vote for PLP, is a vote for change! Let us bring change to this country and make Carbania great!"

[Dentali]

Organización por la Justicia y la Solidaridad Stump Speech

Alejandro de la Vega, Campaign Kickoff
Cayanar, Valenzuela

Good Morning! Thank you all for being here, taking the time out of your day to be here and thank you as well to (Insert local faith leader) for leading us in prayer… You all know why we are here… to build a better future for our children, to ensure that our nation does not only reject the authoritarianism that has plagued our nation but to build a new path for our children to walk… This will not be an easy task, it will be one plagued with difficulty… But nothing worth doing is easy, and united our people are capable of truly great things.

My name is Alejandro de la Vega, for those who don’t know me I was born in Tres Rios and spent much of my life fighting for workers to get a better, fairer shot… Much of my familiy was murdered by the regime of Marcelo Mandes… but I escaped, and exiled from my home I fought to return justice and freedom to our people. And when our country was ravaged by COVID, I returned to lend my strength to our nation…. Mandes and COVID took much from us, but from it we have emerged unbroken… we have survived… we have overcome and will continue to overcome… And I pray that with the help of God you will support me in seeking the Presidency of our nation, and forever changing our people for the better.

My friends… we are in the midst of perhaps the most pivotal time in our nation's history. To become overwhelmed, depressed, or disheartened byt the challenge ahead is all too easy… But let me tell you today that despair is not an option… If we want to ensure the peace, security, and success of our nation… of our children and their children… We must seize this moment, adopting a new path and new vision… standing against the forces of oligarchy and authoritarianism… we have a duty to do so, because never before have we had such control over our shared destiny...

The Organización por la Justicia y la Solidaridad stands against the forces that would seek to set us back, or lead us down a path of destruction and division... We stand with the people, all those whose will and determination have made this election possible. We stand with the working people of this country, those who live in poverty, those who sleep on the streets or live paycheck to paycheck. Who can’t afford an education or basic medical necessities… those who are one bad day away from devastation… All those fighting to survive, those who needs resources, and support… those who just ask for a fair shot.

To falter now… we could see anarchism, economic devastation, or unbridled greed and exploitation by the wealthy and powerful. The people are struggling to keep their heads above water while a class of elites profits and sucks dry the resources the people need to survive.

Our party asks the questions… How can we best invest in our people? How can we protect our Democracy from the rich and powerful? How can we make long term investments in our society? How can the rights of workers and people be ensured? How can our environment be protected?

These are the questions that will define our history moving forward… not just this election but in the decades to come. We are one nation… one community… one society and people… and together we WILL accomplish this. We will lead our nation into a new era of prosperity, where everyone has access to quality healthcare… quality education… A living wage… Affordable housing.. A secure retirement… clean air and water… Economic Rights are human rights… for ALL God’s children.

Unfettered and unbridled greed will only give us another kind of dictatorship… and continue the life threatening issues that affect the millions of working people in our country….

But we can act boldly, we can make not just a better future but a better present. We can fight the age-old enemies of liberty and justice… enemies like classism, sectionalism, monopoly, and other methods of disenfranchisement… And we will fight them by securing and embracing our values. Justice, Liberty, Solidarity, and Equality…

Our goal must be to ensure the people of Carbania are a society in which its members can truly lead a free and just life…. Not just to protect our fundamental rights, such as speech but to fully embrace them… What good is freedom of speech if the people who most need to be heard can’t read or write? We care not just for the legal protections of such rights, as important as they are… but TANGIBLE outcomes for social, economic, and cultural rights. The rights of the poor… of women and children, of native peoples, and all those seeking a better life…

What good is the right to an education if you can’t afford tuition? How can you spend time studying to better yourself without financial security? This is not just about freedom of choice, for these are no choices at all without the empowerment of individuals…

All humanity, all Carbanians are born equal in dignity and rights… They must be protected as such under the law… Equality of opportunity, access to jobs, healthcare, education… These must be independent of gender, origin, religion, or economic status… the poor, those disadvantaged by circumstance must receive governmental support in order to give everyone a fair chance to participate in society.

Now some still follow the order of Mandes… In word or in actions… His belief that if the state supported the poor it would be unfair to the rich and powerful… that a millionaire deserves support more than a hardworking family trying to get by… we see this not just in our own history but around the world… Those with little wealth get little opportunity, those with great wealth get great opportunity.

This is not justice, this is not the future our children deserve… We must demand of our leaders Justice… that means equal opportunity, and equality before the law… regardless of wealth, or background. And we must demand of ourselves Solidarity with one another.

As Christ taught the world we must find in ourselves the spirit of charity… Loving kindness towards all humanity, not a specific group or society… but everyone. This means assistance and support between the strong and the vulnerable… rich and poor… brothers and sisters… The readiness to stand for one another. As Gustavo Gutierrez said “In the final analysis, poverty means death: lack of food and housing, the inability to attend properly to health and education needs, the exploitation of workers, permanent unemployment, the lack of respect for one's human dignity, and unjust limitations placed on personal freedom in the areas of self-expression, politics, and religion.”

We need social insurance… protection against unemployment, security in health-care, pensions… programs like this which give security to individuals, families and by extension to our entire people, through these programs we can guarantee the equality of opportunity we DESERVE.

Our Emerging Democracy… it is a precious thing… not something we can earn or maintain without great effort… Though the tyrant may be no more, we have not yet won this battle… Our Democracy must be derived from the people, the equal rights of all members of society… Equality and justice are inherent to true democracy, and a precondition of the Democratic principle.

We must however understand that while Capitalism is intrinsically linked to Democracy it is in many ways a great hindrance to Democracy. By its own definition the markets and capitalism lead to inequality… it has winners and losers which leads to unequal access to power, uneven distribution of opportunities to participate in society. The tension between the market economy and democracy requires intervention to endure, these are two mutually dependent systems. Our nation must institute laws and regulations which will remove corruption and abuse, giving our economy a chance to grow… better wages, more jobs, and a better standard of living will follow. Only through a robust and competitive economy can we reach our true potential as a nation, only through a robust and competitive economy can we power the engine of social justice.

Our Party… the Organización por la Justicia y la Solidaridad believes we need an active state… One which will provide freely accessible services, infrastructure and security.. One which will create opportunities through social redistribution that will truly empower the people, and ensure that amid a booming market economy that our Democratic institutions and workers interests are protected. Balancing our liberalizing market with state intervention…

This will require tough, and constant conversations between actors.. It will require union members to be represented on the boards of companies, and for strong participation in those unions… It will require the fostering of entrepreneurship… It will require a minimum wage that is livable, education that is geared to jobs that will provide the most prosperity for our children… It will require an environment where businesses can thrive while those at the top pay their fair share…

We must finally enable and empower the people to achieve prosperity… This means transparency and anti-corruption is of the utmost importance… This means a strong modern infrastructure not just of roads and bridges but of educated people, and this means a strong fiscal policy separated from the whims and pettiness of politicians which prioritizes stability.

Through measures like this we not only open ourselves to the ingenuity of our people, to our own capabilities… but will invite investment from abroad, opportunities and equal partnership with those all over the world who share our values…

Enabling the private sector is not the end goal, the end goal of all our policies, economic or otherwise, must be to achieve social justice for our people. The perfect balance between the market and the state, protecting and enabling our rights, and developing our nation.

What is freedom? True freedom? Are you free if you can’t afford schooling? If you can’t afford life saving medications? If you are forced to work 80 hours a week because you can’t support your family? If you try and start a business but are driven out by those who will stop at nothing to protect their monopolies?

The Organización por la Justicia y la Solidaridad will fight tirelessly to secure these… A complete education, quality healthcare, a good living wage, affordable housing, a clean environment and a secure retirement… As far as I am concerned… and as far as the party is concerned these are not just campaign promises or rhetoric… they are RIGHTS, fundamental to humanity. And we will always fight to better secure these rights for the people of our nation.

This is the core of our party, our faith in the betterment of humanity… in security for the people of Carbania… and with the help of God the people of our nation shall overcome… the people of our nation shall move forward boldly into a new era.

Thank you, and God Bless.

[Guagolandum]

José Antonio García
García Residency, Intichiquan
January 4, 2022


North of Intichiquan. An upper-middle class neighbourhood was the neighbourhood where García lived. A flat, not very luxurious. He was a simple person, and as he was currently unemployed, he couldn't afford something more. In the Municipal Theatre of Intichiquan, the Labourists had staged a room for one of García's passionate speeches.

"Modern politics have lost the factor of citizen reality, that one which united us to our people. Today's politicians in Carbania and in the world are dirty in politics, they are immoral and they think they can go over the heads of our people! That any abuse of theirs, being the pitiful authority of this land, will be tolerated and we will not object! That we the masses have lost our sense of reason, and that we are just factory machines run entirely at their whim and desire! And while we fought for the legitimacy of their discourse, they rejoiced, side by side, Liberal along with Conservative, in their mansions full of lust and dirty deals.

The oligarchies have tried to strip us of all sense of reason, they have tried to modify our definition of patriotism at their whim, as is typical of them, they have pretended that we are pieces whose death for their cause is of no consequence to them, like pawns on a chessboard. As we have awakened from a five-decade coma after the death of the unmentionable dictator and the dissolution of his group of shameless thieves, those oligarchies that believed they had the right to manage us at will, to ignore us, to turn their backs on us, and to play with the dice of their skill on the tunic of our patriotism, had to give in and give us the opportunity to choose which destiny we wanted for our nation.

For the first time, this country can rejoice and say that truly, there will not be a select group of lustful billionaires who will only serve to lead us down the path of poverty, of indecency. We detest those oligarchs who call themselves "the representatives of the people", but who behind our backs laugh loudly at our credulity. And that is why today, that incredulity has been transformed into credulity. And that is why today, our will has triumphed over the interests of a few. And that is why today, this new wave of the popular movement, our wave, will rise up, defeat the oligarchies, and crush their legacy!"

An applause was heard all over the room. Cheers for García too. And this all was transmitted by political TV channels all over Carbania. And speaking of all Carbania, it was time to start focusing on other places. Carbania wasn't just Intichiquan.

[Sao Nova Europa]

January 5th

Alan Castañeda and and Sebastian Carnicero stood before the cameras, at the main offices inside of the headquarters of the PLP. "We are proud to announce," Alan said, "the official PLP electoral manifesto for the 2022 elections. This manifesto is the result of serious, months-long research by a team of the brightest minds in our party. We aim to change the way politics work in Carbania. Whereas others can only shout slogans, we have drafted a document of serious, technocratic and measured proposals that will significantly and positively alter Carbania."

Sebastian spoke next. "This document contains the policies that my personal friend Castañeda will push for as President and which I will be pushing for as leader of the PLP in parliament. It is a document that lays the foundations for a significant reformist effort to change Carbania. We aim to simplify our tax code, reform our public administration, bolster security, increase environmental protections, and defend individual liberties. It's a time for change. We thus present you 'A New Future for Carbania'!"

Electoral Manifesto:

Party for Freedom and Progress
2022 Electoral Manifesto
A New Future For Carbania

General Outlook:
The Party for Freedom and Progress aims to combine market dynamism with careful and limited state intervention. We are firm believers in the free market. We believe that the best way to achieve prosperity is through a free market economy that allows people to innovate and produce products and services that people want. We believe that government intervention in the economy should be minimal and careful. We are fully supportive of individual liberty and believe in the dignity of all human beings. We will fight for liberty, security, jobs and social justice.

Taxation:
• We shall simplify the tax code by eliminating all taxes except for:
1. 15% flat personal income tax
2. 10% flat corporate tax
3. 12% value-added tax
4. a corporate carbon tax of $12 per tonne of CO2 emissions
• Carbanians who earn an income of less than $3,000 will pay zero income tax.
• Corporations that invest in rural areas will pay 2% less in corporate tax for that year.
• We shall offer tax benefits to corporations that invest in renewable energy and electric cars (see 'Environmental Policies' section).
• We shall offer tax incentives to attract digital nomads (see 'Trade and Immigration' section).
• Small businesses (from ten employees and below) will pay a reduced corporate tax of 8%.
• Small businesses will be exempt from taxation for the first (1st) year of their existence.
• Small businesses’ assets will be exempt in cases of bankruptcy, allowing them to continue to operate during and after personal bankruptcy.
• VAT on electric cars and environmentally conscious products shall be decreased to 10%.
• We shall abolish taxation for humanitarian NGOs.

Spending:
• We shall establish a Public Spending Review to identify, and cut, government waste and extravagance. It shall also identify programs and departments that can be downsized or handled more effectively, without causing any social harm.
• We shall establish an Office for Indigenous Culture to organize public events and festivals to celebrate indigenous culture.
• We shall establish a Minimum Guaranteed Income of $100 per month for low-income individuals (defined as less than $5.50 per day). It will be funded by merging existing benefits for low-income individuals and streamlining public administration.
• We shall hire more teachers (see 'Education' section) and police officers (see 'Security' section).

Public Administration:
• We shall appoint technocrats in the cabinet and strive for gender balance.
• We shall ensure a balanced budget, eliminating deficits and putting an end to debt accumulation.
• We shall establish Annual Evaluation Reports for all civil servants. The Annual Evaluation shall rate a public official with 1 to 5 stars: 1-2 (incompetent), 3 (mediocre), 4 (competent), 5 (exemplar). The evaluation shall evaluate the conduct of each public official from 20th January to 20th December and be published on 21st January each year. The manager/supervisor of each public department/agency shall rate public officials with 1 to 5 stars, according to their judgement of their work, and provide a short commentary on their work. Citizens will be able to rate the services of public officials they interact with, both at public services and online (once public administration is digitized). Government Review Agents - appointed with a two thirds majority by the parliament - shall rate public officials of their respective departments/agencies with 1 to 5 stars and provide short commentary with their observations of each official. The overall rating of each public official shall take into account the ratings of managers/supervisors, citizens and government review agents. Each public official shall be rated according to the median rating. Public officials with positive rating shall see their wage raised while public officials with negative rating will see their wage slashed.
• We shall institute a new body of technocrats and police & financial agents, the Anti-Corruption Investigative Body, to monitor the public sector for any signs of corruption and to be an advocate of public interest.
• We shall examine carefully all regulations and cut the ones that do nothing to protect consumers and workers but instead add only red tape. We need smart regulations, not complex and anti-business ones. We aim to increase Carbania's ranking in the Ease of Doing Business Index.
• We shall establish an Office of Critique staffed by technocrats, so that citizens can offer their critique and make complaints about public administration. Their critique shall be assessed and the office will publish monthly a list of proposals to solve any problems.
• All government actions/legislation/public-sector appointments shall be made transparent and known to the public: all governmental activity shall be publicized on a website, 'Open-Gov'.
• We shall completely digitize all public services, thus ending red tape and ensuring that the all public services can be accessible from a single website. This website will be using a simple search engine-like interface to tie the government's vast portfolio of websites together and allow easy access to them by the citizens. Civil servants will have to undertake a mandatory one-month digital course to familiarize themselves with digital administration.
• Physical ID cards are to be paired with digital signatures (Digital ID). Digital signatures (Digital ID) will be mandatory for every adult Carbanian citizen. The digital signature shall be used to pay taxes, authenticate transactions with the government, do online banking and access health care records and shall be legally equivalent to manual signature. Each person will be provided a client certificate, to make the digital ID compatible with standard X.509 and TLS infrastructure. The system will be accessed only through a highly encrypted end-to-end, two-factor authorization system, which will be accessible only with a digital ID or ID card. Only people authorized by the person owning the data will be able to access their personal data.

Housing:
• We shall expedite housing construction, streamline approval processes for projects in municipalities and reduce the stringency of zoning regulations (to allow denser housing to be produced or the repurposing of obsolete buildings into housing).
• Cities can be made increasingly affordable and accessible by building more infill housing. Greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by denser cities.

Education:
• We shall hire 1000 additional teachers for public schools. We shall also hire mental health counselors in public education, to ensure the mental welfare of our children.
• We will introduce lessons on economic literacy and digital literacy in public high schools. Those lessons shall be mandatory and aim to ensure that young Carbanians will be able to compete in the globalized economy of the future.

Internet and Technology:
• We shall undertake an ambitious program of updating our cyber infrastructure to 5G and ensuring broadband connection to all parts of the country.
• We shall establish data as a property right. This will give individuals more control over their data and enable them to make money when companies use it to power their products and services.

Social Security and Retirees:
• We shall make private retirement accounts tax-free.
• Prescription drugs for retirees shall be covered by the public healthcare system. In cooperation with private pharmacies, we shall ensure delivery at home of such prescription drugs, sparing seniors of trouble.
• Establish a hotline staffed by mental health experts to talk with lone seniors who may wish to call someone.

Healthcare:
• We shall establish an Office for Mental Health to lead a public campaign for mental health awareness.
• We shall establish a Mental Health hotline, staffed by mental health experts, to talk with people with mental health problems.
• As already mentioned (see 'Social Security and Retirees' section), the state shall cover prescription drugs for retirees and ensure their smooth delivery to them.

Environmental Policies:
• We shall institute a corporate carbon tax (as mentioned in the 'Taxation' section).
• We shall offer a 4% reduction in the flat corporate tax to corporations that invest in renewable resources and electric cars, thus creating thousands of new jobs in green industries.
• We shall ban the use of plastic by government agencies.
• We shall implement strict environmental regulations to protect our climate and natural wildlife.
• We make a commitment to become carbon neutral by 2040.
• We shall lower the VAT on environmentally-conscious products (as mentioned in the 'Taxation' section).

Social Policies:
• We support the liberalization of the abortion law and believe that reproductive rights are human rights. Understanding the delicate nature of the issue, though, we promise that any such change with regards to abortion laws will have to be approved in a national referendum.
• We shall ensure equal rights for our LGBTQI+ community and make them feel safe to be who they are: we support civil unions for same-sex couples on national level and allowing the legalization of same-sex marriage by provincial administrations.
• We shall legalize marijuana for recreational use and shall pardon first-time non-violent drug offenders.
• We shall implement a syringe access program to provide people with clean injection equipment to prevent syringe sharing, thus reducing blood-borne diseases.
• We shall criminalize ‘conversion therapy’.

Security:
• We shall increase the number of police officers by 2000 and raise their wages by 10%.
• We shall procure modern equipment for our police force.
• We shall create 'Rapid Response Teams': motorized police units carrying heavy equipment that will regularly patrol the streets of major cities and enforce law and order.
• We shall institute an Investigative Police Body to examine accusations of police abuse/brutality.
• We shall implement a program of job training for young (less than 25 years of age) first-time offenders on lite sentences, to ensure a proper integration in society after release.
• We shall harshen sentences for those convicted for murder, rape and abuse of children.
• We shall put an end to the communist insurgency through a combination of military and police operations. At the same time, communist insurgents who want to put down their guns and be reintegrated into society as lawful citizens will be pardoned (this does not apply to high-ranking officers of the insurgency but rather to common insurgents).

Trade and Immigration:
• We shall bring highly-skilled and educated immigrants to our nation by offering them a quick path to citizenship - we need bright men and women from across the globe to make Carbania their home.
• We shall implement legislation to attract digital nomads: the government will tax the income earned by those who are self-employed, individuals, or newly employed in positions created in Carbania at half the normal rate. This new incentive will apply for a maximum of seven years for any worker who wants to move their tax base to Carbania, regardless of their nationality or job type.
• Persecution because of sexual orientation, gender identity and intersex status will be considered a qualifiable cause for asylum request.
• Simplify asylum law for refugee status.
• We shall create an Office for Investments that shall have a high budget and will advertise abroad our country, in order to attract foreign capital and create new jobs.
• We shall create the Office for Agricultural Exports, which shall provide technical assistance, free advertisement and low-interest loans to farmers who export their products abroad.
• We shall sign free trade agreements with the United States, the European Union and our neighboring countries in order to increase our exports abroad.

Foreign Policy and Defense:
• We need to maintain close ties to liberal democracies, mainly the United States, the European Union, the UK, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. Carbania needs to align itself with nations that share our values of liberalism, democracy and human rights.
• On China, we shall pursue a pragmatic agenda of economic ties but making sure that they understand that our place is with liberal democracies and preventing investment into critical sector that may endanger our national security.
• We need to maintain the current defense spending with only slight increases over time. Those increases should mainly focus on buying new high-tech equipment for our brave armed forces.
• We shall establish a new Cyberwarfare Agency as an independent branch of the military forces, tasked with cybersecurity and cyberattacks on hostile countries.

[Dentali]

January campaigning part 1
Alejandro de la Vega

Date: Monday January 3rd, 2022
Location: Provincial Capital, Valenzuela
Summary: Kicked off official start of the Presidential Campaign
Excerpt: Speech posted earlier in full


Date: Tuesday January 4th, 2022
Location: Children's Hospital, Bunuel
Summary: Alejandro de la Vega visited a children’s hospital in Bunuel
Excerpt: “We have seen decades of neglect by the state of our nation's children… I’ve seen parents choose between feeding their family or buying medication for their children, this is morally repugnant and as a nation we have the ability to make an incredible difference.”


Date: Wednesday January 5th, 2022
Location: Logging town, Mugre Oro
Summary: Alejandro visited a small town focused on the logging industry
Excerpt: “We can demand better of our companies and enterprises, better wages, benefits, hours… what we need are stronger unions who are well represented on the boards of companies, this will ensure that when a company benefits all the workers benefits too.”


Date: Thursday January 6th, 2022
Location: Small Town, Bolivar y Carban
Summary: De La Vega visited a small town at the center of a farming community
Excerpt: “Towns like this are the backbone of our economy, if you fail we all fail… And for decades you haven’t gotten the support you deserve. Whether that be infrastructure, subsidies, or protection from massive corporations seeking to drive you out of business… make no mistake, my administration would make partnering with small farms a priority, making sure you have the resources to thrive.”


Date: Friday January 7th, 2022
Location: Farms, Camparroz
Summary: De La Vega visits multiple farms in Camparroz
Excerpt: “Long term i want to look at partnering farmers with scientists and engineers, making your farms 10 times as efficient and profitable but that can’t happen unless we foster these relationships… farms can be the engine of prosperity not just for your family but for the entire country.”


Date: Saturday January 8th, 2022
Location: Slums, Intichiquan
Summary: De La Vega does acts of service in the poor neighborhoods of Intichiquan
Excerpt: Interview with Reporter “I’ve spent a great deal of my life working to better the lives of the poorest among us, that work won’t stop if i’m elected… Some of my opponents would call these people lazy, or incapable… the truth is these are people born into bad circumstances and who weren’t even given a chance of escaping them… As President I want to work from the bottom up, reforming education and social services to create good paying jobs for the people who need it most”


Date: Sunday January 9th, 2022
Location: Church Services, Intichiquan
Summary: Church Services and Strategy meetings
Excerpt: “Radio, Television, Cold Calling are all great methods but we need to make sure we have the physical materials to spread around the country.”

[Guagolandum]

José A. García R. - Itinerary

Date: January 5, 2022
Location: La Esperanza, Mugre Oro (small mining settlement)
Excerpt: "People like this heroes are working hardly every day, and meanwhile the oligarchies live off their work! Is this an acceptable model of country for you, folk? Where the businessmen have to face lots of bureaucratic tramitations and the oligarchies don't? A good Carbania must be an equal Carbania."

Date: January 9, 2022
Location: Carbanian Businessmen Group headquarters, Santiago de Carbania
Excerpt: "In this room, where Carbanian businessmen are represented, I'd love to congratulate you for making Carbania a better country and not giving up in between bureaucracy! People like this shall be the basis of the labourist Carbania!"

Date: January 13, 2022
Location: Slums of Santiago de Carbania
Excerpt: "I know what growing up in the so-called 'slums' is. Slums are the result of centuries of segregation and lack of opportunities in this country, all of this perpetuated by the governments we've had so far! We aren't pawns, we are people! We ENJOY human rights! Pawns are movable at a player's will, people aren't movable at an oligarch or dictator's will!

Date: January 17, 2022
Location: Regional Theatre of Bolívar y Carbán
Excerpt: "Art is the way in which we express our rage towards the unjust authority ruling over us. Let it flourish and be the mean of expression of the new Carbania!"

Date: January 21, 2022
Location: School in Carnicerías
Excerpt: "This room, so deteriorated, reflects the state's neglection towards our children, our future. Is this the Carbania we want? Is this the way we flourish? That question, ladies and gentlemen, is up to you."

García announced more visits to come in February, as he plans on going throughout all of Carbania.

[Reorganized Portugal]

Jose Antonio Rabellino
Campaign Schedule, January 2022 (Part 1)

January 3, 2022
10:00 AM
Location: Intichiquan, Federal District
Summary: Announcement of Presidential Campaign

January 4, 2022
11:00 AM
Location: Cayañar, Valenzuela
Summary: Jose Antonio spoke to workers in the factories about the importance of industry
Excerpt: "You are the backbone of our country. And yet, the government has taken your money and forced you to work until your own backbones are broken. We must lift the government's weight from your backs, so you may truly guide our nation forward."

2:00 PM
Location: Small Town (not the one he's mayor of), Camparroz
Summary: Jose Antonio spoke to reporters there and gave a brief speech
Excerpt: (From speech) "Many of you have broken your backs in the fields to barely provide for your family. Much of the food you have made was forced away by Mendes, and sold out to the crooked oligarchs who do nothing. You need to get your fair share of the things you grow."

January 9, 2022
10:00 AM
Location: Small Town he is mayor of, Camparroz
Summary: Photos taken of him attending Catholic Church services for the press, no speech given

12:00 PM
Location: Slums of Puerto Plata, Tres Rios
Summary: Jose Antonio performed acts of service to the slum's unfortunate residents, and spoke to them briefly
Excerpt: "It is truly unfortunate that great people like you are forced to live in slums like these. You are hard workers, you are people of greatness, and you deserve better. It's time we changed this, we clear the slums and give you real homes, and reform the bent systems of education and housing here."

January 10, 2022
9:00 AM
Location: Intichiquan, Federal District
Summary: Jose Antonio visited 3 struggling schools and read to the children, spoke to the teachers and to the press.
Excerpt: "The education system in Carbania is broken, we cannot deny that. After almost 50 years of using these places of education to indoctrinate our youth, we must use them to teach our children the skills that they really do need. As President I will greatly reform the education system and make sure our children get what we deserve."

Mr. Rabellino will be making more visits and campaign stops across Carbania in the upcoming days of January and into February.

[Jovuistan]

MANUEL OTERO ANNOUNCEMENT SPEECH
JANUARY 7TH, 2022
PAZ DE LUNA

A substantial crowd gathered at one of Paz De Luna's largest venues, all eagerly chanting MPL slogans as they awaited the entry of the man himself. They erupted in a glorious roar as Otero finally made his appearance, taking position on the stage as he waved to the crowd of loyal supporters.

"My friends, it is the highest honor to stand before all of you today as a candidate for President of Carbania!"

The crowd cheered wildly, causing Manuel to chuckle and grin.

"This is the goal that we have been fighting for for decades! A free and fair election! It is the goal that our Movimiento Popular de Liberación was founded upon! It is a goal that all of us, together, have finally reached! And now, my friends, it is time for us to bring about a new era for our beautiful country. It is time for us to create a people-first democracy! A democracy that puts the citizens of Carbanian before the profits of the wealthy elites. A democracy that puts the well-being of us all before the corrupt bargains of politicians. Carbania deserves to be the beacon of Latin American democracy, the envy of our neighbors! That is why I am running for President, and why the Movimiento Popular de Liberación is asking for your support in these elections!

"And I believe in a people-first democracy because I know exactly what it's like to live without one. I wasn't born wealthy. I couldn't afford to just up and leave the country when the junta came to power, nor did I ever want to, because I have always had faith in the idea that Carbania can be the greatest country on earth. I was raised being forced into labor as a kid. I had to learn how to work hard and how to be strong. I worked in the mines near my hometown of Paz de Luna, a place I'll always call my home. I saw the way the wealthy few exploited the workers who fueled the profits off of back-breaking labor. I saw the mistreatment, the lack of rights and respect afforded to the common man. I saw firsthand more than once how the junta abused their power, how they indiscriminately murdered and imprisoned anyone who just wanted decent government and freedom.

"I looked at all that, how my country, our country, was thrown in the gutter by those in power. That was when it was clear that enough was enough. The MPL was founded as a movement to fight back against the tyrants in power. We took up our arms as one people, as one Carbania, to liberate our brothers and sisters from the evil scourge of totalitarianism. We took to the streets in protest, we protected ourselves from the junta's endless slaughter, and we freed those who were taken captive for no reason except their own free thoughts. And we won. The power of the people is overwhelming, my friends, and no dictator, no matter how heavy their iron fist, can defeat it.

"But now it is our responsibility to ensure that our new democracy that we all fought for is safe. Not just from the guns of tyrants, but from the corruption and backroom deals of the rich and powerful. My friends, the new battle will not be fought with guns and tanks, and we pray that we will never need them again. The new battle will be fought with pen and speech. This is a battle for the future of Carbania. Either we let Carbania become a playground for millionaires and billionaires to exploit, or we create a government that cares for working people, for families, and for our youth.

"An MPL government will care for people before profits. We believe that every Carbanian has a right to quality healthcare, a good education, and well-paying employment. That is why our pledge to the Carbanian people is universal healthcare now, universal education now, and universal employment now! These are fundamental rights reserved not only for the few who can afford them, but for every Carbanian! For the sake of our future, for the sake of our men and woman and children, we must ensure that every Carbanian has the means to live, without fear of bankruptcy or homelessness, no matter their background, no matter their income. That is what good government does! Good government doesn't toe the line for the rich and powerful, but does everything to ensure the wealth and prosperity of the ordinary people!

"So we will bolster and reform our healthcare system so every Carbanian can get decent quality healthcare for free. We will get the best teachers we can to educate our kids and ensure that every parent, no matter how rich they are, can provide their kids with a good education. We're going to give our children a brighter future under a new 21st-century Carbania, and we will support the mothers and fathers raising them with a child benefit and free good-quality childcare. We're going to guarantee good-paying jobs to every Carbanian, we'll raise the minimum wage and give power to our unions and workers!

"And we're going to end the neglect of our indigenous communities, the people who have been living her first and have always called Carbania their home. They are our fellow countrymen, and it's time for our government to stop abandoning them. An MPL government will respect Indigenous lands and invest in developing our Indigenous communities, end discrimination, and expand their healthcare services! And we're also going to get our policies on their environment in check. No more are we going to destroy our planet for rich people's profits. We are going to cut down on carbon emissions, move to a greener economy, and protect our rainforests and nature reserves!

"My friends, this is a real people-first platform. This is a real platform for the future! We're going to have a long campaign, but rest assured, we are determined, we are united, and we will win for Carbania! This is the beginning of a new, brighter era for our great country! This is indeed our time! Thank you all! Let's do this!"

[Jovuistan]

MANUEL OTERO CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE
JANUARY 2022 PART 1

January 9th
Location: Mining Town, Alturas
Summary: Otero began by keeping up appearances by attending Catholic Church services. Afterward, he met with miners and spoke with them about unions and workers.
Excerpt: "The unions in this country are perhaps the most powerful tool for the working-class of this country. The wealthy want to destroy unions, something we can't afford to let happen. An MPL government will strengthen our unions, raise the minimum wage, and guarantee universal employment so no Carbanian has to g hungry and homeless with no ability to find a good-paying job!"

January 10th
Location: Indigenous Town, Alturas
Summary: Otero delivered a speech to the local Indigenous community.
Excerpt: "Our Indigenous people have been left behind by the junta and by the rich elites! It's time for the first citizens of Carbania to be treated with respect! Indigenous communities deserve access to clean water, they deserve access to good quality healthcare, they deserve access to good education, to electricity, to high-speed internet! They deserve a consultative council so the government can hear from Indigenous leaders directly! This is all key to the MPL's platform; a platform that listens to the urgent needs of our Indigenous community!"

Location: Paz de Luna
Summary: Otero attended a union drive organized by Huaman and others, delivering a speech to the workers.
Excerpt: "This, my friends, is the power of the people! When our workers are respected, when they are given decent wages and job security, that's when our country prospers! And unions should have a direct say in Carbania's future, which is why an MPL government will push for unions to have a consultative council!"

January 11th
Location: Slums of Intichiquan
Summary: Manuel aided MPL volunteers to deliver clean water, food, and other humanitarian aid to Intichiquan's poor.
Excerpt: "The government is right next door. They look down from their palaces and their towers and they see how people who live here are suffering. And yet they do nothing! I say we need a government that puts people, not profits, as the number one priority. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege only for those who can afford it. Everyone has a right to employment, and an MPL government will guarantee that right! Our young people deserve decent free education! our poor deserve clean water, electricity, and internet! The MPL is the only party that can not just make these promises, but keep them, because we aren't rich people running a vanity campaign, we're ordinary people, we're workers. I was born in the slums of Paz de Luna, I've seen what unfettered capitalism does to the less fortunate. That's why it's my mission to ensure no child ever has to grow up with no guarantee of a future in this country again!"

January 12th
Location: College in Intichiquan
Summary: Otero visited the campus of a national university to talk directly to young people.
Excerpt: "As it stands, there is no guarantee that our youth even have a future. Scientists are unanimous that climate change is real and it is caused by human activity, and yet big oil and other elites have pulled out all the stops to prevent any substantive change. For the sake of our future, we need to move toward clean renewable energy. That's what an MPL government will do! And an MPL government will also ensure the right for our young people to have free higher education, because everyone, regardless of whether they're rich or poor, deserves to have a shot in Carbania! In addition to that, we need to put an end to the government's ignorance of young people's needs. That's why an MPL government will create four new consultative councils, including one for Carbanian youth!"

[Dentali]

January campaigning part 2
Alejandro de la Vega


Date: Monday January 10th, 2022
Location: Small College, Alturas Carbania
Summary: Visiting one of the few colleges in the nation
Excerpt: “Within a few years we are going to have a lot more colleges like this one, universities, schools, that teach trades and the most in demand skills. I’ve heard it said that education is the silver bullet… I agree with that assessment. For anyone willing to work and study hard should go to college, and we need to make sure every single citizen of our great nation finishes high school.”


Date: Tuesday January 11th, 2022
Location: Tourist town, Tres Rios
Summary: Visiting small businesses powered by the tourist industry
Excerpt: “With COVID winding down and the old regime gone we could see a new renaissance for our tourist industry… now is the right time for the government to encourage investment in towns like this one and support the people who make this possible. And we need to make damn sure we do not implement policies that would drive away tourists.”


Date: Wednesday January 12th, 2022
Location: Slums, Intichiquan
Summary: Visiting poor residential areas and speaking with families about the cost of living
Excerpt: “So many lost everything during COVID, livelihoods, family, homes, their future… We can restore all of it, but we can take the right actions to protect people… to make sure our sick are better cared for, that if you lose your job you will be given the aid you need to stay afloat, and then to find a new one.”


Date: Thursday January 13th, 2022
Location: Middle Class Neighborhood, Intichiquan
Summary: Visiting residential areas in Intichiquan
Excerpt: “I believe their is a role for the Government to play in building and fostering the middle class in our country… I have traveled the world and seen it everywhere I go, people like yourselves are at the forefront of our future prosperity.”


Date: Friday January 14th, 2022
Location: Private Meeting, Intichiquan
Summary: A series of private meetings with Wealthy donors
Excerpt: “I am not someone seeking to break the back of private industry, heck i’ve worked in the private sector a long time… the free market creates wealth, what my government would do is guide it, foster it, and make sure workers get their fair share… Looking specifically at the models of European countries like Sweden and Germany…”


Date: Saturday January 15th, 2022
Location: Youth Outreach Center, Valenzuela
Summary: Townhall Q&A with young people
Excerpt: “I’m a man of faith… my family was murdered, I was exiled from my home… In that dark time I found God and that’s what got me through it all, that’s why I kept fighting to free our people any way I could… And that’s why I believe we have a duty to uplift one another, help our neighbor and provide for those in need.”


Date: Sunday January 16th, 2022
Location: Church Service, Valenzuela
Summary: Church Services and Strategy meetings
Excerpt: “Valenzuela looks increasingly like a strong base for our party, even if we don’t win a lot of these races we need to make the investments for the next time around…”


Date: Monday January 17th, 2022
Location: Factory, Valenzuela
Summary: Visiting factories and talking with small groups of workers and union members
Excerpt: “Unions are the single strongest tool we have to push for tangible change… that’s why we need them on boards, that’s why we need them leading the charge for social change and progress… And as President i don’t just plan on tolerating unions, I will be fostering them as much as possible. We can’t have a strong economy without strong unions.”


Date: Tuesday January 18th, 2022
Location: Tribal Village, Mugre Oro
Summary: Holding Q&As with small tribal enclaves
Excerpt: “You are equal members of our nation in my eyes… you deserve the same level of respect and consideration that anyone else in our nation would get. This is not to say you don’t have your own unique identity, but I want you all to enjoy the same support, rights, privileges and protections as any citizen in this country.”


Date: Wednesday January 19th, 2022
Location: Logging operation, Mugre Oro
Summary: Visiting logging towns
Excerpt: “We will be able to make a massive economic investment in towns like this, ensuring a healthy industry for years to come and giving opportunities for you children both in and out of the industry. A diverse economy, where you get education, healthcare, pensions and real support that you deserve.”


Date: Thursday January 20th, 2022
Location: Small Town clergy meeting, Valenzuela
Summary: Meeting with a number of faith leaders from small towns in Valenzuela
Excerpt: “I believe in liberation theology, it informs every political belief I have.. I don’t see the spirit of charity, brotherhood, and solidarity as codewords for Marxism or some dogwhistle… We have a social responsibility to our fellow man.``


Date: Friday January 21st, 2022
Location: Farming Town, Bolivar y Carban
Summary: Visiting small towns and holding townhall Q&As
Excerpt: “I believe that nationally we should legalize civil unions yes… Pope Francis said “If they want to spend their lives together, a homosexual couple, nations have the possibility civilly to support them, to give them safety with regards to inheritance and health,”... So before the law we should be accommodating… but Marriage itself is a sacrament, and I could not support legalizing gay marriage, a practice not even remotely analogous to God’s teachings around marriage and family.”


Date: Saturday January 22nd, 2022
Location: Small Town Clergy Meeting, Bolivar y Carban
Summary: Meeting with a number of faith leaders from small towns in Bolivar y Carban
Excerpt: “So many of you have devoted yourselves completely to your communities, found ways to help in the most extraordinary of circumstances not just during COVID but in the decades of the regime. As President I want to make sure that you all no longer stand alone in fighting for the people and their wellbeing.”


Date: Sunday January 23rd, 2022
Location: Church Services, Bolivar y Carban
Summary: Church Services and Strategy meetings
Excerpt: “I want to make sure we have at least one faith leader in every county on our side, saying nice things about us or at least not saying them about the other parties.”

[Alozia]

Marbella, Bolívar y Carbán
January 1, 2022

Manuel stood in front of the assembled crowd of suits, ties and skirts. Hours before he and his family celebrated the coming new year, sharing the same hope and anxiety as their fellow countrymen and citizens of Marbella. Now, however he stood at the doorstep of a new challenge. One that could either make him or break him. Ortiz considered risk a colleague of his at this point. Having managed a team all the way to the top, he understood the meaning of hard work, compromises, butting heads and overcoming challenges. But this was different. This, more than ever, was real life. He wasn't an influential sports guy anymore. In the past people looked to him expecting wins in football, good player signings, great tactics and captivating entertainment. Now they look to him in hopes of putting food on the table, having a roof over their heads and freeing themselves of the yoke of gang violence. That is something else.

"Mr. Ortiz?" The man standing in front of him asked. He was an elderly gentleman, wearing a nice, yet cheap black suit, that complimented his mustache. "Shall we begin?"

"Yes, of course." Manu replied. He felt the pressure. Not for the first time, but today the mask slipped just for a split second.

"Then repeat after me. I, Manuel Garcia Ortiz Fernandez, do solemnly swear.."

The members of the assembly watched intently as Ortiz gave his oath of office, a first in Marbella's modern, democratic history. They too have been sworn in, all with their different plans, allegiances and agendas. But all united by the same goal - to get the sportsman wannabe-mayor under their influence. Had they known the extent to which he had go to combat cartel grip on sports, maybe they wouldn't have underestimated him.

"...so help me God."

"Congratulations, Mayor!"

[Dentali]

January campaigning part 3
Alejandro de la Vega


Date: Monday January 24th, 2022
Location: Private Meetings, Bunuel
Summary: Small meetings with local unions and leaders of workers
Excerpt: “The simple truth is that no other party is coming close to matching our tangible support for unions… not just rhetoric, we will get you on corporate boards… you will have a real say in the process of how things are done. You will be able not just to resist the worst excesses of these companies but to guide them into positive actions.”


Date: Tuesday January 25th, 2022
Location: Farms, Bunuel
Summary: Visiting various farms
Excerpt: “Who are the biggest agricultural exporters in the world? The United States is first, but it might surprise you to learn the second biggest is Holland, despite its small size. The reason for this is technology, self driving tractors, drones monitoring crops… we still plan on subsidizing and supporting farmers like yourselves but it will be focused on increasing productivity and efficiency, helping you work smarter not harder.”


Date: Wednesday January 26th, 2022
Location: Small Towns, Bunuel
Summary: Visiting small towns revolving around agricultural products
Excerpt: “We need a social dialogue table, this is a common practice in many countries an organization where the Government, employers, and unions meet to coordinate. But I want to make sure farmers and ranchers get a seat at that table too, and equal one.”


Date: Thursday January 27th, 2022
Location: Mining Town, Altuuras Carbania
Summary: Q&A with mining focused communities
Excerpt: “We need to make sure that we incentivize and support families, they should be paying much less in taxes and getting help raising families.

Date: Friday January 28th, 2022
Location: Private Meetings, Alturas Carbania
Summary: Private meetings with mining unions
Excerpt: “We can look at countries like Poland, who after the second world war had lost a fifth of its population, a conservative estimate, and then suffered decades of repression by the Soviet Union, and by the time the Soviets collapsed was incredibly far behind developed countries in every sector…. But since then Poland has grown by leaps and bounds, 4% a year every year for almost 30 years, like clockwork.”

“They did this with 4 main institutions, firstly attracting foreign investment through strong institutions, legal security, property rights, ease of doing business, and competition. Secondly strict controls of public accounts and inflation. Thirdly, investment in public education. And fourthly is moderate taxation for companies.”



Date: Saturday January 29th, 2022
Location: Mining Town, Alturas Carbania
Summary: Q&A with mining focused communities
Excerpt: “I was concerned when I saw the PLP Manifesto, they want to give tax breaks on electric cars, when most people are struggling to pay rent, or buy food and medicine… heck they want to require you to have a physical id and a ‘digital id’, how many of you own computers? Basically they seek to implement policies for the people who are already well off, who can afford a new car or a new computer. Meanwhile they will institute a Value Added Tax on things like groceries, that’s a slap in the face.”


Date: Sunday January 30th, 2022
Location: Church Services, Camparroz
Summary: Church Services and Strategy Meetings
Excerpt: “I want to make sure that for every polling place in the country we have a ‘captain’ someone who know the place intimately, someone who can handle transporting people to the polls, getting them to turn out and making sure we have maximum turnout and that its all done correctly… we don’t need votes thrown out.”

Date: Monday January 31st, 2022
Location: Provincial Capital, Camparroz
Summary: Visiting provincial capital of Camparroz
Excerpt: “The Netherlands has the University of Wageningen, which focuses exclusively on innovation in the field of Agriculture. I want to found a similar university right here in Camparroz. This will receive state funding and funding from private companies, and form very active partnerships with the rest of society. The research from this University will be 100% practical research, on how to get more and healthier agriculture and livestock.”