WesWorld

SECRET MEETING OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SENATE COMMITTEE
RE: PARAGUAY AND DEBRIEF OF CASTAGONE’S DIPLOMATIC MISSION

TOP SECRET
08/04/1932
REF: SFA149/58/R4

MEMBERS PRESENT
Chair: P M. Enrique (E)
Special Diplomat: Alfredo Castagone (CA)
Foreign Affairs Office Representative: P. Alfaro (A)
Defence Minister: Vice Adm (ret). Juan Perez Benedicto Hood (H)
Security Minister: “Chico” (‘C’)
Presidential Foreign Affairs Adviser: H. Castro (CS)
Head of Military Intelligence: [not entered into record] (X)
Commander Chaco Region: Maj. Gen. Urqru (U)

(Key for script below)

E: This secret session is now in progress. Welcome home Alfredo, how did you find Paraguay?
CA: Not very nice, I came down with a stomach bug, from the water I think.
H: Sorry to hear that.
E: Can you tell us about the current political situation please?
CS: More importantly is it stable?
CA: Well four months ago I would have said Paraguayan politics was very stable. But now it seems much more unsettled. The recent war in Bolivia has pleased the government who have had disagreements with Bolivia in the past. On the other hand Bolivia’s defeat, which seems certain, is a double-edged sword. It will bring her enemies closer to her borders. She fears the might of Brazil and now I think us. More than that is the emergence of a revolutionary force.
E: Can you elaborate on this Colonel [censored]?
X: Yes, for some time now we have monitored all activity in Paraguay and this enabled us to detect FUM and now this new organisation. We believe it is called the ‘Brotherhood of Santa Maria’ a Catholic organisation. They have existed for several years, kept hidden from the populace by press censorship. Now with the events in Mexico they are going to rise up to free Paraguay and install a religious government.
H: Huh, such fools will be crushed before they can cause too much harm.
X: Well recently some army units have joined them in the north and they are strong enough to hold out for some time. The antiquated Paraguayan Army will struggle.
H: I meant our army, not theirs.
E: Minister let us not get ahead of the agenda this early. Proceed Castagone.
CA: Well these forces could be enough to tear Paraguay apart into one of the bloodiest civil wars of our time. The population hate General Hector Ramon Garioza Ruiz Diaz.
H: Alias ‘The Rat’.
E: Senor Castro what are the implications if the government fell?
CS: Without a doubt Brazil would feel free to move in to stabilise her border.
‘C’: And the Africans?
CS: They would fight to stop this, I have spoken to my opposite number in Buenos Aries last week and they are willing to fight to stop Brazil if Brazil used force.
CA: And our intentions are to stabilise our border.
A: No! Our intentions are to halt any southward expansion by those fat land-grabbing Brazilians.
E: How Senor Alfaro?
A: By expanding north of course. History tells us 67 years ago Argentina and Brazil fought a bloody war and occupied Paraguay. Half of the population of Paraguay was killed, we must not let that happen again.
H: If the Paraguayans want freedom we will give it to them, as part of a democratic Argentine republic. A Greater Argentina.
E: How did the negotiations go?
U: Absolutely fine, it took us six hours to beat them down and submit to our wishes.
CA: Yes it was very draining.
U: By threatening to limited force to check certain positions they were forced to back down. They lack the will to fight.
‘C’: I’m not so sure about that.
E: What about FUM? We still have to beat them.
H: We already have. After the election we will offer an amnesty to any FUM member who turns themselves in. All the bases are lost, we are about to deal with the D’Silva family and end the financing of FUM. Chico can tell you more of our plans.
‘C’: We intend to let Paraguay make the first move. Gen Diaz is a paranoid old man and he may lash out. We put just enough pressure on him to get them to allow us to operate inside their borders. We will infiltrate agents behind the lines and begin aiding the ‘Santa Maria’ by handing over the arms of FUM left over and by re-training the FUM members. After all they wiped out Tabor Pilcomayo so they know useful tricks. They will want to free their homeland more than face a South African firing squad.
E: What about our defences in the area?
U: Well I have now [censored]. If we secretly mobilise Army Corp I (Div 1 and 2) then we will have enough ready forces in the area to strike at Paraguay in self-defence.
H: We shall also have the third division partially mobilised too and three Regiments of Marines. This must be kept from the press at all costs.
E: The response of South Africa still worries me.
CA: There is no need, they have seen our reformed ways and will aid us against Brazil; they may even underwrite a defensive pact with us over Paraguay.
‘C’: They will not get anything for this will they?
H: No, but they are useful friends to have. They are the most powerful nation in South America and have strong allies in Atlantis and Nordmark.
CS: We shall need a leader for the Santa Maria.
CA: They have one.
CS: No I mean a compliant one.
X: It is all arranged already. We have engaged a team of mercenaries to free one of Paraguay’s political opponents. Senor Luis Contreras. Aged 57, he opposed General Diaz’s rule and has been imprisoned for twenty-four years. We have the services of a Colonel Faulkner. He has a force of fifty men training in southern Argentina already. They have a spectacular plan for breaking Contreras out.
E: How much does all this cost?
‘C’: About £500,000.
X: That seems rather a lot of money.
H: I see Colonel Faulkner values his life highly.
CS: I’d like to hear the details of this plan.
H: Well Colonel Faulkner, Colonel Janders, Lieutenant Fynn and Lieutenant Coetze formerly of the South African Army are leading a force of fifty British experienced soldiers. They will parachute in from three civilian Junkers 52s at just before dawn, sneak into the jail compound and then kill all the guards with cyanide gas while they are asleep. Then they make their way back to Argentina on the aircraft which will land at a remote mining strip about three miles from the jail.
CA: It’s a daring scheme but will it work?
X: These men are professionals with international experience. It will work.
E: Well I make it 11:10, time for a break, this concludes the first session. Next on the agenda before lunch the deal with Saudi Arabia.

Cause... Hey! There's a ninja in the room!!!

:-)

Quoted

CA: Well these forces could be enough to tear Paraguay apart into one of the bloodiest civil wars of our time. The population hate General Hector Ramon Garioza Ruiz Diaz.
H: Alias ‘The Rat’.

...he wouldn't be related to anyone from the Philippines, would he?
The chief of FINK was 'Señor Raton'.

Quoted

E: Well I make it 11:10, time for a break, this concludes the first session. Next on the agenda before lunch the deal with Saudi Arabia.

Pick one:
a) 'whistles innocently away'
b) 'ommminous hummmmm'

Quoted

Next on the agenda before lunch the deal with Saudi Arabia.

Too bad I never read this...

Neat article in all respects, you trouble-maker.

Yeah, really a nice read.

Keep it coming....

I find the reference to the Mexican Catholic Revolution especially troubling. If its revealed that the Argentinians supported a Catholic organization like the Cristeros it could cause some trouble between both countries.

Mexico has no need to worry, it not so much supporting them but using them to achieve the goal of dominating Paraguay, then we take steps to remove them...