Los Liberados
| Republic of Los Liberados República de Los Liberados | |||
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| Motto: "Oro y Gloria" Gold and Glory | |||
| Anthem: "Libre" "Free" | |||
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| Map versions | 16.3.5 - current | ||
| Capital | Puerto Arcadio | ||
| Largest city | Augusto, Racám, La Hampa | ||
| Official language(s) | Martino | ||
| Official religion(s) | Catologism (High Church and Reformed) | ||
| Demonym | Liberadosan | ||
| Adjective | Liberadosan | ||
| Government | Pseudo-democratic competitive authoritarianism | ||
| • Supreme Director of Gran Verionia | Godolphin Viqh | ||
| • Presidente del Junta de Liberación Nacional | Rodrigo Calderón Mendez | ||
| • {{{headoflegislature2title}}} | {{{headoflegislature2}}} | ||
| Legislature | Asamblea Nacional de la República | ||
| Establishment | 1668 AN, as autonomous territory 1669 AN, as independent state | ||
| Area | 68,748 km2 | ||
| Population | 6,170,000 | ||
| Currency | Liberadosan Cruz (₵) | ||
| Abbreviation | LIB | ||
| Driving side | |||
| Time zone(s) | CMT | ||
| National animal | Ara Macao | ||
| National drink | Rum | ||
"Libre, como el sol cuando amanece,
yo soy libre, como el mar.
Libre, como el ave que escapó de su prisión
y puede, al fin, volar."
—Chorus of the National Anthem of Los Liberados
Los Liberados, officially the Republic of Los Liberados (Martino: República de Los Liberados, literally: Republic of those who are Liberated), is an autonomous republic of Gran Verionia. Los Liberados was an island state in the North Raynor Sea. Having been a dependency under the territorial jurisdiction of the Kasterburg Republic and the daily administration of the Iron Company, Los Liberados became an independent nation in 1669 AN. In 1682, Los Liberados joined the Union of 1682 and became part of the Confederated States of Gran Verionia. In addition, the Republic was a member of the Batavian Confederation. Los Liberados lost its independence in 1686.
Etymology
The name Los Liberados, in the Martino language, literally translates to Those who are Liberated, and dates from the mid 1660's. It was bestowed upon the nation by Kasterburger Magistrate Reginald de Montfort in a letter to Jacobo Castrigo. Following the Iron Company expedition that saw Castrigo claim the islands, de Montfort wrote to him saying: "finally those islands and their people can leave behind the shadow of the Jing, they are liberated". Castrigo took this phrase and from that moment on continued to refer to the islands as Los Liberados. The Liberadosan people take great pride in the name of their country, which symbolises their determination for freedom and independent spirit.
Outline
Los Liberados is an island group in the North Raynor Sea. The country comprises the Southern portion of what is known as the Norfolk Isles. The Liberadosan islands are divided into three provinces (provincias). The southernmost, and most densely populated, province is known as Arcadio. The province is named after the Batavian king Arkadius II. The capital city of Puerto Arcadio is located on Arcadio island. Two smaller islands, La Hampa and Isla Timaro, are located in the south.
The second province is Augusto, comprising of the Isla de Montaña and the isle of Este. Third province is Calico, which is formed out of the five smaller, western isles of Calico, Masona, Isla Dorada, Isla de Dolor and Vallejo. Seperate from the three provinces is the autonomous city of Corcovado, which is located on the Keltian continent. The inner sea is known to Liberadosans as the Mar de Libertad. To the north of the islands is the Estrecho del Medio, which seperates Los Liberados from its northern neighbour, Thracistan.
Los Liberados is close to the equator and have a tropical climate. The islands are home to diverse flora and fauna. Tropical birds, including the Liberadosan national bird the Ara, deer, aligators and dolphins are just some of the species of wild animals that can be found on the islands. Fish, shellfish and other marine products are an important part of the Liberadosan cuisine. Because of its excellent climate, tourism is a main source of revenue for Los Liberados.
The main export products of Los Liberados are bananas, hardwood, spices and alcoholic beaverages, especially Liberadosan rum, which is internationally renowned. Most products are exported using the trading networks of the Iron Company. In addition, the Republic exports oil and petrol products and has gone through significant industrialisation, which has enabled Los Liberados to become more autonomous from its trading partners.
History
For an overview of important historical events, see: Timeline of Los Liberados
The history of Los Liberados is divided by historians into two parts: pre-, and post-liberación. The first period refers to the time before 1668, and the second to the time after that year, in which the liberación of the islands took place.
Pre-liberación
The three islands belonging to Los Liberados were in ancient times occupied by various incarnations of Tymaria. The ruines of the old capital city are still present under water, and are a popular spot for divers and archaeologists.
For the largest part of its history, the island have been part of Shireroth, who occupied the islands after the demise of Norfolk, a shortlived naval republic. Norfolk continued to be a hub of piracy and trade for centuries. The Los Liberados isles were part of the Tymaria command, and remnants of those days have been incorporated in the diverse culture of Los Liberados. The four stars on the Liberadosan flag have their origins in Norfolkian symbolism.
After occupation by the Jingdaoese Empire, a state known for its closed borders, oppressive state culture and lack of personal enterprise, the islands lost their advantageous trading position and were eventually deserted and ruined. During the early days of Jingdaoese rule, the islands saw a significant immigration of Batavians. Batavian culture remains one of the foundations of the national identity.
Post-liberación
In 1668, the Iron Company established a trading port on Los Liberados, and the islands were formally claimed by the Kasterburg Republic as a colony. This moment is known on the islands as the liberación. Although the nation had significant autonomy following the liberación, it remained under the jurisdiction of Kasterburg. Even though it had the ability to raise its own defense forces (the Milicia de Hierro), and enter into diplomatic relations with other countries, this in exchange for a levy of 2% on all goods exported from Los Liberados. In 1669, Los Liberados was granted independence upon its ratification of the Treaty of the Batavian Confederation, follwoing lobbying by the Liberadosan government. Jacobo Castrigo Álvarez, who had served as Governor of the islands from 1668 became the first Head of State of the independent nation.
1669 further saw the establishment of several governmental institutions, the formalisation of a national bureaucracy and the implementation of some semi-democratic reforms in the form of an elected parliament.
Death of President Castrigo
On 16.VII.1676, President Jacobo Castrigo was on board a plane en route to the Verionian capital of Sarhat, to discuss future trade relations. The airplane disappeared from the radar, and was soon after reporting as having disappeared over the Great Western Sea, presumably crashed. Upon hearing the news, the Junta de Liberación Nacional immediately took control of the Presidency and declared a period of mourning and emergency. During the next en days, the Junta installed Capitán Rodrigo Calderón as the new president of the Council, and as the new head of state of the Republic. Following an emergency decree, President Calderón applied for protectorate status of the Florian Republic, fearing that the instability surrounding the demise, not only of the Liberadosan President, but also of senior figures within the Iron Company, would be a catalyst for outside interference. As of 17.VII.1676, Los Liberados became a protectorate of the Florian Republic with immediate effect. In reaction to the severe backlash on Verionists in Elwynn, President Calderón also nationalised the Liberadosan assets of the Iron Company. After one year, Los Liberados regained its independence.
Calendar and Holidays
Los Liberados uses a version of the Norton calendar. Under Jingdaoese occupation, the isles adhered to the Daor calendar, but following the liberación, the current calendar was introduced. The change in time occured gradually between 1668 and 1669 to avoid the effect of Temporal Haemorrhaging. Nonetheless an number of, mainly elderly, Liberadosans experienced health problems.
People and Culture
Liberadosans are a diverse people. The nation has a population of almost 3 million, and a history of colonisation and dependency. As such, it is home to a diverse ethnic population. The nation is a true "melting pot", with no majority ethnic group. Although most citizens are able to trace back their predominant ancestry to one group, almost all Liberadosans have some degree of mixed heritage. Los Liberados has recently seen a dramatic increase of San Pedrovian refugees. Due to cultural similarities, they have been integrated into Liberadosan society without any problems.
Demographics
| Ancestry | Population Size | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Martino (including Alexandrian) |
2,934,500 | 47.5% |
| Batavian (including Kasterburger) |
1,678,200 | 27.2% |
| Timaro (Indigenous Tymarian) |
745,700 | 12.1% |
| San Pedrovian | 365,500 | 5.9% |
| Flemish | 143,800 | 2.2% |
| Jingdaoese | 65,700 | 1.1% |
| Aryashi | 41,200 | 0.7% |
| Other (non-specified) |
195,400 | 3.2% |
| Total | 6,170,000 | 100% |
National spirit
The diverse nature of the Liberadosan heritage is reflected in their culture. In general, Liberadosans are outgoing and friendly. Local communities and neighbourhoods play an important role in the life of Liberadosans, and a sense of community is shared by most. The family is especially important for Liberadosans, many families live together, and it is not an exeption to see three generations living in the same household.
Liberadosans tend to prefer leissure over work, and enjoy activities like making music, dancing and hanging out with friends. It is not strange to see people sitting in the streets, conversing of playing a game of Cancilleres, a type of Chess that is especially popular in Los Liberados.
Because of the friendly and welcoming character of Los Liberados, tourists will feel at home quickly, although they may feel a little uncomfortable at times, as Liberadosans are quick to show their affection in a physical way. Kissing a stranger on the cheek is considered normal, and buying something in a store is often accompanied by pats on the back and close embraces (in adition to the usual haggling over the price).
Sports
Sports are also very popular in Los Liberados. Number one sport is football, which brings people together every weekend. Especially when the national team is playing, one can witness Liberadosans crowd the streets and celebrate every goal as if they had won the world cup. The top football division of the country is the Liga de Hierro, which inaugral season was the cause of intense joy, despair, family rifts and increased police expenditures. Tourists are warned to avoid the area around stadiums at least for a couple of hours following a match, Liberadosan football supporters are known for their fiery way of celebrating or mourning, both of which may look surprisingly similar to the uninformed spectator. Aside from football, other popular sports are swimming, horseback riding and baseball.
Language
The official language of Los Liberados is Martino, a language that originated from San Martin and since then spread across Micras. Martino is a compulsory subject in Liberadosan schools, where it is taught from age four. Minority languages with an official status are Batavian, Timaro and Micras Common, which is mainly used as a lingua franca in diplomatic relations and international correspondence.
Education
Los Liberados has an extensive and free public school system. The right to free education is guaranteed by the constitution. Children usually enter school at age 5, and follow kindergarden school for 3 years. This is followed by seven years of primary education. At age 12, children usually enter one of the government's patriotillas programme. During this year, children learn about nature, history and spend half a year volunteering. Following this year, children enroll in one of the secondary school programmes. These range from vocational education to pre-university education.
Los Liberados has seven research universities. The oldest of which, Universidad Catologidad de Puerto Arcadio, is consitently ranked along the best universities in the world.
Media
LibUno is the state-owned national television network of the Republic. Aside from national news broadcasting, the channel mainly distributes music videos and telenovelas such as the widely popular series Nuevo Comienzo.
El Libertador is the largest newspaper of the country. It is independently owned, and at times critical at goverment policy. As such, it is a great way for foreigners to get to know more about the nation.
Reading El Lib, as the paper is colloquially known, is a tradition for most Liberadosans. In the morning, one can spot many on their way to work reading the paper whilst enjoying a cup of strong coffee. The frontpage article of the paper is usually discussed at length as soon as the reader has arrived at work.
Government
Political scientists have described Los Liberados as an "Autocracy with a smile". The nation is governed by the National Liberation Council (Junta de Liberación Nacional), which is chaired by the President. Having previously been governed by the Iron Company, the state maintains a corportatist structure. The economic entanglement of the governing Junta, and the rampant corruption within the branches of government have drawn some international critisism. Los Liberados, however, is far from a dictatorship. The complex system of pseudo-democracy can best be described as "Benevolent Competitive Authoritarianism."
President
The First Head of State of Los Liberados was Jacobo Castrigo Álvarez, who remains a member of the Iron Company's board of governance. He also holds citizenship in Batavia. As Governor, Álvarez has instigated several democratic reforms as part of his promise to give the Liberadosan people a larger say in the way they are governed. As part of these reforms, an elected legislative assembly was established in 1669, the Asamblea Nacional de la República. The same year, the first elections for the parliament were held which saw the governing Partido de Liberación Nacional win an absolute majority. President Castrigo passed away in 1676, he died in a plane crash. Subsequently, the Junta de Liberación Nacional put forward Rodrigo Calderón Mendez, who serves as the incumbent President of both the Junta and the Republic.
| Portrait | Name | Birth | Death | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Jacobo Castrigo Álvarez | 1634 | 1676 | 1668 - 1676 | First President of Los Liberados, considered the Padre del Patria and the Hero of the Liberación, died in a plane crash in 1676. |
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Rodrigo Calderón Mendez | 1636 | 1676 - incumbent | Second President of the Republic, declared a state of emergency and made Los Liberados a protectorate of the Florian Republic for a year. Instigated mass nationalisations |
Junta de Liberación Nacional
Per the constitution, the Junta de Liberación Nacional is the vanguard of popular power. It is the de facto executive power of the Republic. The Council is tasked with safeguarding the liberty, dignity, solidarity and unity of the state and its people. The President of the Junta delegates powers to the other members of the Junta.
Administrative Divisions
Los Liberados divided into three provinces (provincias). The largest province in population is Arcadio, with the capital of Puerto Arcadio, Second province is Augusto, with the capital of the same name. Third province is Calico, with its capital of Racám. Los Liberados also has an Autonomous city, Corcovado, which is located on Keltia.
| Flag | Subdivision | Capital | Population | Governor |
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Provincia de Arcadio | Puerto Arcadio | tbd | Ramón Velarde |
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Provincia de Augusto | Augusto | tbd | Martín Buendía |
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Provincia de Calico | Racám | tbd | Patricio Yates |
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Ciudad Autónoma de Corcovado | Corcovado | 120,800 | Enrique Ruíz |
International Relations
See also: Foreign relations of Los Liberados.
The government of Los Liberados has been highly supportive of the idea of a Batavian League, a confederation of nations with a shared Batavian heritage. In 1669, it became a founding member of the Batavian Confederation. As a member-state, Los Liberados has strong ties with its other members, especially with the Kingdom of Batavia and Kasterburg. The Liberadosan government promotes economic integration of the member states of the Confederation. The currency of Los Liberados, the Liberadosan Cruz, is pegged to the Batavian Kruys.
In late 1668, the government of Los Liberados announced its plans for a humanitarian intervention in the former Caputian state of San Pedro, in order to rescue the population from the expected disasters of the Haifan Civil War. The Liberadosan government, together with the Iron Company and supported by the member states of the Batavian Confederation set up a 3-step plan for humanitarian intervention. The first would be to establish a quick route of transport both over seas and by air, the second would be to stabilise the San Pedrovian borders, and the third step would be the evacuation of the roughly 300,000 people still residing in San Pedro by the end of 1668. By mid-1669, the mission had entered stage 3, and over 150,000 people have so far been evacuated from San Pedro to Los Liberados. The immigration of a skilled population greatly aided the Iron Company in their exploitation of the Gold Mines on Arcadio island.
In 1670, the government of Los Liberados signed the Treaty of Puerto Arcadio that established formal relations with the Imperial State of Constancia, the treaty was an extention to an earlier informal partnership and close cooperation between Constancia and the Iron Company.
Economy
For the main article: Economy of Los Liberados.
The economy of Los Liberados is a diverse and young economy. Following Liberadosan independence in 1669, the country experienced an economic boom caused by the corporist policies of first president Jacobo Castrigo. The Liberadosan economy under Castrigo was characterised by its extreme liberalisation. Few business regulations exist, and the nation is generally understood to be very much business friendly. The Liberadosan market is dominated by the Iron Company, that controls the majority of the trade from and to the islands. Due to the low levels of taxation and lack of financial regulation, Los Liberados is home to many foreign companies. Being a member of the Batavian single-market, and subesquently having direct access to the Sxiro-Batavian free trade zone, Los Liberados is an entrance port for one of the largest markets on Micras. In 1669, the Kalgachian Octavian Import-Export Corporation relocated its headquarters to Puerto Arcadio.
Following a period of turmoil after the death of President Castrigo, and a backlash against the influence of the Company on Benacia, the Liberadosan government implemented a policy of nationalisation of industry and trade. However, some intricate deals were struck with prominent and wealthy Benacian business owners that allowed them to continue the island as a tax haven.
The currency of Los Liberados is the Liberadosan cruz. Having its value pegged to the Batavian Kruys, the first cruz coins were minted in late 1668.
Military
For the main article: Milicia de Hierro.
The armed forces of Los Liberados are known as the Milicia de Hierro. The Milicia originated during the time of Iron Company colonial rule. The Milicia maintains a similar structure to the Iron Militia, from which it is derived. The Milicia de Hierro is divided into three branches: the Defence forces, the Trade protection forces and the military and civil intelligence agency.
Calendar
A Liberadosan year consists of 15 months of 24 days, except for the month of Circulomes, (XIV), which varies in length. A year on the Liberadosan calendar has the following months:
- Alboradames
- Segundomes
- Primaverames
- Hierbames
- Floraciómes
- Veranomes
- Henomes
- Mediomes
- Cosechames
- Otoñomes
- Matarmes
- Catomes
- Liberames
- Inviernomes
- Circulomes
National Holidays
There are several official national holidays in Los Liberados, these are:
- 1st Alboradames: New Year
- 7th Primaverames: Dia de Primavera
- 14th Hierbames: Dia de Libre
- 9th Liberames: Dia de Liberación
- 4th-13th Catomes: Carnaval Catologico
- 14th Catomes: Dia de Santiago
- 29th Inviernomes: Dia Micronacional
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