Rise of the Sun of May - Part 21: Hammering Out Dealios (1928-1930)

We return to Prime Minister Alfredo courting Rio Grande do Sul like it is the hottest gal at the ball.

Though plans are rough so far, some suggest that the country should be taken under the Province's wing in a relationship similar to how Argentina and Paraguay were handled.

Fresh tech my boy

Alfredo's tax brackets continue to be a boon for the nation, both in approval ratings and economic terms.

By February, yet another crisis begins in Europe.

As per ushe, it takes place in Yugoslavia.

Bosnians have risen up seeking international support in their quest to gain independence.

And support they get.

The French back the Bosnians and the Spanish back the Yugoslavs.

Though France is dealing with some Fascists at the mome.

Dutch colonial issues are pretty bad at this point.

Native African groups have begun to declare independence from Europe, such as Ghana (in yellow).

Oof, India too.

(This is a real event that I didn't cheat up or anything; if you wonder why I've written all over it, it's because the original text didn't make sense at all as to what was going on lol)

Following the conquest of Peru's Fascist leader Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro to reclaim the Brazilian land of Acre, Alfredo has taken heat from various Parliamentary groups pressing him to claim the land as it is a rightful part of Bolivia.

Feeling tensions rise and not wanting the Provinces to act on him in the way they acted on El Jefe in Chile, Cerro calls a meeting in the city of Quito, Ecuador with Alfredo and several leading MPs.

Cerro practically bribes the Provinces to stay out of his affairs for the duration of his reign. He asks for no intervention and a relinquishing of Platense claims on Acre in return for $1,000,000 and a relinquishing of Peruvian claims on the Platense State of Arequipa.

Alfredo and the MPs gladly accept.

This marks the highest the Platense coffers have ever added up to!

Meanwhile, more progress in the crisis.

Russia has backed France and Germany has backed Spain along with Italy.

The British Commonwealth has the final choice in this, and it looks to be Spain.

On April 24th, Alfredo and a travelling entourage arrive in Amsterdam by boat for a state visit of the Netherlands and Belgium.

Alfredo also decides, with approval from Parliament, to offer up some of that newly gained money in order to take some land off the busy Dutch hands.

After several days of discussion, the Dutch offer up the Southern Atlantic Islands that they had received during the fall of the British Empire. Offering the entirety of the islands for free in order to honor Dutch-Platense friendship is met by opposition from Alfredo.

In the end, Alfredo pays $200,000 out of the country's coffers to buy the mostly desolate islands.

They are admitted as the State of the Southern Atlantic.

Completing his state visit in Brussels, Alfredo also offers to buy Northern Madagascar in order to unite the islands.

The Belgians, also under a Socialist leader, agree to the offer as being for the good of the Malagasy people.

$1,000,000 buys the chunk of land which is admitted as the State of Northern Madagascar.

Meanwhile, after the British back the Spanish, France calls for a white peace in the crisis.

With a now united island, it is much easier for Alfredo to fully organize the administration of the area.

Rising immigration like true Americans.

In June, with Alfredo serving two terms, the elections begin.

After months of debate, the Left Coalition finally come up with a candidate.

58 year old famous musician and former soldier Gabino Ezeiza is chosen.

Ezeiza, the first black candidate ever produced for the Provinces, has been a strong member of Unión Cívica Radical since the days of Prime Minister Hipólito Yrigoyen.

Ezeiza pushes an agenda praising Alfredo's economic policy but also highlighting the reality that the Platense military is not ready for any large scale wars neither in size nor technology.

Partido Socialista and the Red Bloc choose 43 year old José Tamborini.

Tamborini is a surprise choice considering his only recent moment to the left after virtually heading Unión Cívica Radical. Many of the higher ups in the Socialist party see him as a safe choice in the middle ground who can capture the majority of votes and continue their reign.

His policies are basically status quo as to what Alfredo is doing right now.

The National Front back the young and spry 35 year old Enzo Bordabehere.

A native of Montevideo, Bordabehere believes in a united 'Banda Oriental' that comprises of Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul. Considered a one issue candidate, he stresses the importance of annexing Rio Grande do Sul whether it is against that country's 'false government's' will or not.

Finally, the Right Direction once again chooses 34 year old Juan Domingo Perón.

Perón is a military man who follows the Austrian brand of Fascism that has 'maintained' the country in a unstable Europe, stopping it from falling into situations such as Yugoslavia.

He strongly supports and expanding of the Platense military to the max, even advocating forced service for all non Platinean cultures.

More nations, this time Burkina Faso and Benin, pop out of their fertile Dutch mother.

The influential landscape of South America has completely changed. Other than Colombia and Ecuador, the continent is independent of almost all outside Great Powers.

Striking news from Brazil.

On August 31st 1929, Fascist revolutionary Plínio Salgado declares a dictatorship in Rio de Janeiro.

Fearing the possibilities of Brazilian Fascist revanchism on themselves, the government of Rio Grande do Sul petitions Alfredo for statehood immediately after hearing the news on August 31st.

Alfredo, a strong believer in the will of the people, asks for a referendum in the country first in order to validate the opinion of the Rio-Grandense.

A week later, on September 7th (Brazilian independence day), the vote is held and the results are as follows:

Statehood: 52.34% Independence: 47.66%

Alfredo accepts the results and plans with Parliament for official statehood to be granted by July 9th 1930 in celebration of Argentine independence day.

Oooooh mixing it up a lil bit with some navy tech finally.

The population's opinion is pushed further and further pro military.

And now we have Dahomey, Oyo, Aro, Nigeria and the Bornu Empire.

On the bright side, Calabar is no longer alone as the only semi autonomous African country!

India looks bad too.

The Platense Parliament of 1930 is assembled.

The Red Bloc continue a descent as the Left Coalition slowly regains strength.

Within the Left Coalition, the once popular Partido Liberal has fallen below Partido Radical, prompting Left Coalition leaders to begin merging the party with Unión Cívica Radical.

Also, Partido Fascista has now gone so far as to outdo Autonomista Cívica as well.

The election results and seat redistribution show one of the largest gains in population between elections. Though this is partially due to the fact that Alfredo wasn't 'elected' in his second term, the difference between 1923 and 1930 is 167 with the addition of 4 new States and around 1,590,000 more people.

The results are also similar to last time if you replace the Socialists with Unión Cívica Radical.

That's right, with a clear majority of 256 electoral votes, Gabino Ezeiza is sworn in as sixth and first black Prime Minister of the United Provinces.

Ezeiza immediately uses the bustling economy to its full potential, giving every daily expense a maximum budget.

Ezeiza also orders the movement of troops into Rio Grande do Sul to prepare for Brazilian resistance to the July 9th annexation.

Also, he sets in place a new program upgrading all forts on the Brazilian border.

But suddenly, on May 19th 1930, Pernambuco declares war on Brazil.

Calling for help from the Provinces, the reasoning from the Pernambucanas is their intention to strike first before the Fascist leaders could fully set up the trashed Brazilian military.

Ezeiza willfully accepts, and with that a war has begun.