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Revision as of 06:10, 26 May 2008

The Confederate States of Latin America (Estados Confederados de America Latina, or ECAL) is a federal republic comprising all of the Spainish speaking nations of South America (except Venezuela) plus Panama. It consists of the following states:

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Uruguay

There is also a Federal Territory, the Buenos Aires Federal Territory, which is the seat of the Federal Government.

History

Foundation

The ECAL was founded as a result of the Santiago Conference of 1946. In this conference, the leaders of the Spanish-speaking South American nations, plus Panama discussed the future of Hispanic South America. With the exception of Venezuela, all the nations decided on a Confederation.

In 1947, the Santiago Acuerdo (Santiago Agreement) was signed by the participants (excluding Venezuela). In 1947, the Convención Constitucional met in Buenos Aires to consider a Constitution.

The requirement set under the Acuerdo was that all the state governments should agree to it before it came into force, and that it be put to the people. The requirement for victory was a majority of voters in at least 6 states.

The referendum passed in all states in 1949, with the first Presidential, and Congressional elections scheduled for 1950.

Early Democracy

The broadly conservative electorate, expectedly, voted for the Christian Democracy Party in the first elections. The country's economy went along fairly well, the ECAL was gaining a good international reputation, which was aided by a contribution to the Korean War.

There was still a lot of discontent with the new arrangement from the left (who argued that the ECAL was too good to big business), and from the right (who argued for a return to separatism), but the ECAL progressed.

A scandal in the Gonzalez Administration, combined with a lagging peso, and an economic downturn brought a left-wing candidate into office in 1955. His Administration didn't solve the nation's econmic problems, but he managed to get through the 1959 Elections by starting an inflationary boom before the polls. This fell apart quickly, and that, along with his unprecedented attempt at a third term in office caused him to lose the election.

President Terry took charge of a country with an almost worthless currency, rising unemployment, rising prices, falling real wages. Terry decided to try some free market reforms, and a reduction in government spending. This angered many people, including the military who's budget had been cut three budgets in a row. The military leadership were of broadly left-wing views, and the higher up the officer, the more likely he was to be leftist.

Under the pretext that the cuts were leaving the national defence inadequate, and under the further pretext that the nation had to set back upon the right economic path, Capitán General Juan Carlos Onganía mounted a coup d'etat in 1965 against the government of President Fernando Belaúnde Terry.

Left-Wing Military Juntas

Capitán General Juan Carlos Onganía took control of the government in a military coup in 1965. Although it was made to appear spontaneous, the military had infact spent several months planning it.

At the time, Presidential Security was the responsibility of the Army, specifically the 1st Heavy Cavalry Division. Ongania had key officers replaced by his own proteges. As a result, the coup was practically bloodless. Once in power, General Ongania began to move the country's political and economic steadily leftwards. His regime recognised the PRC, and nationalised key enterprises. He also took Latin America off the gold standard, saying "we will remove the golden barrier to unity and prosperity", he also nationalised the top ten banks, and heavily regulated the remainder. Military spending increased, with the government going on a buying spree of arms purchases.

Inflation and nationalisations began to eat away at the Latin American economy, food production sank, and price controls created widespread shortages. Rationing was introduced in 1970. A US-supported insurgency created further problems, and led to government crackdowns and censorship.

The beleaguered Ongania regime moved steadily closer to Cuba and the Soviet Union. In the meantime, a small group of military officers, and conservative politicians began to meet American agents. They planned a coup, with the Paras taking the lead against the regime.

On the 28th of September 1970, they moved, quickly kidnapping 8 top regime figures, but missing two others, the Minister of Defence, General de Ejército Razan, and the Commander of the 1st Heavy Cavalry, General de Division Hugo Banzer. Banzer, escaping the kidnappers by jumping over his fence into the Hashemite Arab Embassy managed to mobilise his troops in time to capture, and stop the paratroopers. Banzer also stationed troops at all the newspapers, and TV and Radio stations. A Battalion moved to the Casa Rosada to "establish a secure perimeter".

Most people thought that Ongania would soon issue an annoucement about the coup, but even after a week, nothing was heard. Even while the plotters were tried by military tribunals and shot, nothing from Ongania. Some speculated that he had died.

A month after the coup, he announced that General de Division Hugo Banzer would be promoted to Capitán General, and appointed Minister of Defence, Commander of the Military Forces, and a new post: Special Minister of Security, a post which would carry essentially unlimited police powers. From then on, Banzer effectively ran the country.

Ongania remained in the Casa Rosada until May, 1971, when he resigned for "health reasons".

Banzer then had himself sworn in as President.

Pinochet

Modern era

Government

The Confederate States of Latin America (ECAL) has a constitutional republican system of government.

Constitution

The Constitution of the Confederate States of Latin America is the governing document of the ECAL. It provides for all branches of the Federal Government, all of its powers, and specific protections of rights.

The Constitution has 5 Articles:

1. The Preamble
2. The Congress
3. The Executive
4. The Judiciary
5. The Bill of Rights

The first four articles were all ratified in 1949, the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1981. This was introduced during the last years of the Pinochet Administration, as it moved towards democratisation.

It contains the following clauses:

• Congress shall make no law regarding freedom of speech
• Congress shall make no law respecting the individual right to keep and bear arms
• Congress shall make no law regarding the practice, or non-practice of religion
• Congress shall make no law regarding the freedom to assemble peacefully
• Congress shall make no law regarding the right of the people to petition the government for redress of grievance
• Congress shall make no law regarding the freedom of the press
• Congress shall not provide for the seizure of property except through due process of criminal law
• No soldier shall be quartered in any house in time of peace, except by consent of the owner, nor in time of war except in a manner proscribed by law
• No person shall be called upon to answer for any felony or misdemenour, unless indicted by a Grand Jury consisting of not les than 10 citizens of good standing, unless serving in Naval, Military, and Air Forces while under proper Defence Jurisdiction
• No person shall be compelled to bear witness against himself
• No person shall be called to answer for the same offence twice, nor shall Government have leave to appeal an acquittal in court
• All persons properly indicted on criminal matters shall be given a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of their peers in the jurisdiction in which a defendant is called upon to answer charges.
• All persons answering to criminal charges in court shall have the right to face their accusers.
• All persons answering to criminal charges shall have the right to compell witnesses to testify on their behalf
• All persons answering to criminal charges shall have the right to counsel to assist in their defence
• In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the Confederate States, than according to the rules of the common law.
• Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
• The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
• All powers not delegated to the Confederate States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people

The Constitution provides for a separation of powers. Somone serving in one branch of government must not serve in another.

Legislature

The Legislature of the ECAL is called "Congress". It consists of a Senate, and a House of Deputies.

The Senate

The Senate consists of 73 Senators. 4 for each of the 9 states, plus one for Buenos Aires. Half the Senators are appointed on leap-years, the rest are appointed on the even numbered years between leap years. Senators are appointed directly by the State Government's they represent. Chile, Bolivia, and Panama use General Ticket Voting to determine appointments. Argentina, and Ecuador use Gubernatorial Appointment, the rest hse elections in the State Legislatures. Though the Senate can block or defer bills, it cannot initiate bills. The Senate must provide its consent to senior government appointments.

The House of Deputies

The House of Deputies is elected directly every four years (on leap years). The House has 250 members, and is the lower house. It has the power to initiate legislation.

Executive

The Executive Branch is headed by the President (currently Michelle Bachelet).

The President has the following powers:

Executive Powers

• Day to day management of the Federal Government
• Issuing rules and regulations persuant to statutes.
• Command-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
• Nomination of officials (subject to the consent of the Senate)

Legislative Powers

Though the President is not part of the legislature, the President can send bills to Congress (normally through the President's Party's most senior Representative). The President must address Congress annually to outline the state of the Confederate States, and outline a specific policy agenda.

Judicial Powers

The President can pardon, or suspend the sentence of anyone convicted in a Federal Court, except in the case of the impeachment of a public official.

Foreign Affairs

The President is responsible for the Confederate States' relations with the world. The President nominates all Ambassadors, Ministers, and Consuls.

Cabinet

The Cabinet, though not formally constituted, is the centre of the executive branch. It consists of the President, Vice-President, and the heads of Federal Government Departments.

The Cabinet of the Bachelet Administration.

The Department of Transport is mainly responsible for national infrastructure. The Department of State manages the Federal Government's relations with the states, as well as elections at the Federal level.

The President is elected by an Electoral College. The Electors are chosen by State Legislatures, and each state as a number of electors which corresponds to the number of Deputies it sends to the House of Deputies, plus 2 (corresponding to the number of Senators). The manner of choosing Electors is up to the State Legislatures in question.