I won’t bore you with my preamble which was basically just restating my case for why we needed a new collective of nations to stand together against threats of war and organized cri, to eliminate poverty and bring the best dical care to everyone. I talked about how it was a governnt’s responsibility to make life better for the people under its care, that the prosecution of war was not in the people’s best interest, how we could open new trade markets and bring more wealth to the people and the nation. I repeated all the usual talking points, then made an impassioned plea for a world where every child had the education to do whatever they wanted with their life, where resources were spent on making everyday life better, where our best scientists worked on dical advances, inventing new technologies, and even reaching for the stars. I thanked them for considering the Universal Earth Concord and promised to answer any questions they may have.
Then, Alejandro Hernandez, as President of the Congress, opened the floor to questions, reminding them of the rules of decorum, previously discussed and referring to the predetermined order in which people would be recognized.
The first mber chose to use his ti to make a statent rather than ask a question. He shared his own vision of Guatemala assuming a leadership position on the global stage, of restoring the glory of the Mayan Empire, of how he personally believed in those principles and looked forward to guiding the nation forward. He concluded by reminding us all that he was running for re-election and if the people wanted the country to move forward, free of criminal gangs, with continuation of the ongoing infrastructure improvents, with new dical clinics and hospitals, and all the other new changes, then, of course, they should re-elect him. He sumd up by asking how important it would be to our efforts to have a supportive governnt, made up of like-minded individuals such as himself, in Guatemala. Basically, he was trying to get my public endorsent for his re-election campaign.
"I am glad we share common goals, Congressman," I began, "I believe we share common goals with the great majority of the people of Guatemala. Indeed, it is the good will of the people of Guatemala that will make the biggest difference in the success or failure of the Universal Earth Concord. As long as they believe in our mission, then I’m sure they will elect representatives who share our vision. Of course, the vote being conducted here is instruntal, and it is with that vote that each mber of this highly esteed body can demonstrate to the people whether they stand for continued progress with the Universal Earth Concord and improvent in daily conditions, or perhaps whether they preferred the way things were before our intervention." I wanted to give him enough to satisfy his ego, but not enough to be considered and actual election campaign endorsent, while simultaneously reminding all the congresspeople present that we were very, very popular with the public. Furthermore, with the infrastructure improvents to roads and telecommunications within the country, it would be much easier for people to vote. In the overwhelming majority of congressional districts, opposing Santa Maribel and her people would be a surefire way to lose the next election, as long as our popularity continued.
After that there were a number of softball questions, if Guatemalan signed on to the Universal Earth Concord, what would happen to schools? How would daily life be affected? How would the governnt be funded if taxes were eliminated? And many more of the sa. I had ready answers for all of them, detailing my vision of how life could be on a unified Earth, and certainly would be within our mber states. Every Guatemalan would have ready access to state of the art dical care, food, basic necessities, and modern conveniences that had not yet been introduced in even the most advanced industrial nations. On and on it went, until Felix Perez got his turn.
I knew the topic that was most important to him, and I really admired his principles in bringing it up despite what might be seen as a display of negative sentint against us. Indeed, there were a few boos from other mbers of Congress.
"I understand you have just recently engaged in the war between Russia and Ukraine," he began, "taking strong definitive actions against the Russians and even challenging their President Maxim Volkov publicly. By actively engaging in military missions, specifically capturing a disputed nuclear power plant held by the Russian military, including a supply of ammunition and military vehicles which you have summarily turned over to the Ukrainians, you have effectively placed the Universal Earth Concord in a state of war with Russia, one of the largest military powers in the world- a superpower with nuclear weapons and the ans to deliver them to any target in the world. According to the provisions of the Universal Earth Concord proposal that you are asking us to sign, all mber nations are required to abide by the sa declarations of war and provide for mutual defense of the Universal Earth Concord and all other mbers. Does accepting this agreent put Guatemala instantly at war with one of the world’s most dangerous nuclear superpowers?"
"First, let thank you Congressman Perez. That is a tough question to ask, it takes a bravery and a commitnt to principle. It shows how much you care for the well-being of the people of Guatemala. It is an important question. The short answer is yes, as a mber of the Universal Earth Concord, Guatemala would be a mber of a common group of nations abiding by the treaties and agreents of the entire group. At present, I believe that Russia would consider any thod to hurt the UEC in retaliation for the repatriation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. You may not have heard, yet, but we also rescued thousands of the Ukrainian nuclear technicians who had been forcibly taken away and placed in prisons within Russian." I paused as a murmur went through the assembly. This news had not yet been released to the public and they would be hearing it for the first ti.
"Our reach extends into Russia and we were able to rescue every single one of the imprisoned Ukrainian nuclear technicians without a single casualty on either side," I continued, "These were secure, well-guarded Russian military prisons. We have also been able to protect the nuclear power plant buildings from Russian attack since taking them, despite the fact that they are within Russian controlled territory. We removed every Russian soldier and intelligence operative from within the complex, again without a single casualty. You may rember that we were able to deal with the violent, multinational drug cartels who were deeply entrenched in Guatemala and other nearly countries, ridding your country of this scourge.
"Could we have stood by idly and left them to do as they would in Guatemala? The answer is no, my personal sense of morality would not allow to watch the people of Guatemala be used so poorly. Neither can I watch the people of Ukraine be systematically killed, raped, and imprisoned while their hos and cities are reduced to rubble or stolen. The United Earth Concord has the power to help them, just as we helped Guatemala, xico, and Colombia. I cannot imagine any people having so recently received such aid, refusing to offer whatever assistance they can to others facing even greater suffering. I assure you that Russia will be no more difficult an enemy than the cartels. They will fail in Ukraine, they will be driven out completely, the entire captured territory, including all of Cria will be returned to Ukrainian control. Russian attempts to punish us or anyone will fail, just as cartel efforts to exact retribution have failed.
"Congressman Perez, I understand your concerns for the safety of the Guatemalan people. Indeed, I share them. The UEC is well-equipped to protect Guatemala from any retaliation Russia might attempt. I also ask you how the United States might react to Russian military action in the Aricas? Russian knows the United States would not sit idly by."
"Do you have a treaty with the United States for defense?" Senator Perez asked.
"No. We have no treaty or defense agreent with the United States."
"Can you tell us then, how you can defeat a nuclear superpower? If we are to be allies, should you not share your military secrets?"
"I remind you, Congressman Perez, that we are not formally allies yet, but I don’t want to mislead you. Even if Guatemala signs the Universal Earth Concord, I will not release details of our military advantages nor our intelligence apparatus. Part of their strength cos from secrecy. Additionally, the risk of having our advantages stolen and used against us, or against others, is too great. So secrets are better kept secret."
"If we decline to sign your proposal into law, will you maintain facilities in Guatemala anyway- facilities that might make Guatemala a target for Russia revenge?"
"If Guatemala does not adopt the Concord, we will move the focus of our efforts to other nations. We will help still with the roads and expansion and modernization of the electrical grid and oversee the probation and ongoing counseling of those criminals who are enrolled in our rehabilitation programs. We will maintain exiting dical facilities that we have built and staffed. However, that will be the limit of our presence here. We will ensure that no attacks directed at us are made within the borders or your country."
"So, if we decline, we get the best of both worlds – protection from outside attacks, modernized infrastructure, and better access to healthcare throughout the country. Why should we join?"
I smiled at another chance to make my case. "Yes, if you decline, Guatemala will be far better off than ever it was without our intervention. We will not leave work unfinished or cruelly pull our support and complete funding for our new dical facilities. We undertake these tasks because it is the right thing to do. I wish you would beco full mbers of the Universal Earth Concord, but even if you don’t, the welfare of the people of Guatemala matters to , just as the welfare of the people of Ukraine matters to , and xico, Colombia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, and all the other nations, including even Russia. We consider all the people of Earth, regardless of the nations in which they live, to be equally worth saving. So yes, if Guatemala chooses not to beco a part of the Universal Earth Concord, you will still be in a very good position. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to watch the people of other nations continue to suffer, hoping soone else helps them as you were helped, or whether Guatemala will be the first country to stand up and say ’Yes, we will help others as we were helped in our ti of need’."
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