Vermejo

República Vermejo (Vermilion Republic)
Flag [[|85px|Coat of Arms of Vermejo|frameless]] Coat of Arms
Motto:
Anthem: Viva la Republica
Map versions	18.0.0
Capital	Glorieta
Largest city	Glorieta
Official language(s)	Guano Martino Britannic Istvanistani
Official religion(s)	78% Nazarene 8% Tribal Religions 5% no religion
Demonym	Vermejan
- Adjective	Vermejan
Government	Federal presidential republic
- President	Raul Sanchez
- Prime Minister	Esteban Gutierrez
- Legislature	National Congress
Establishment	22.XI.1743 AN
Area
Population	1,212,440
Active population	1
Currency	Vermejo Peso (VPS)
Calendar
Time zone(s)	CMT - 1
Mains electricity
Driving side	right
Track gauge
National website
National forum
National animal	Javelina
National food	Nopal
National drink	Tequila
National tree	Yucca
Abbreviation	VMJ

Vermejo, formally the República Vermejo (Vermilion Republic), is a small country located along the coast of Taylor Bay on the eastern seaboard of Keltia. It occupies parts of the former nation of Anahuaco, mostly within the old province of Pavón.

Following the East Keltian Collapse of Anahuaco, the Republicanos Anahuacanos who had been forced to the hinterlands by the Imperialistas soon found themselves able to advance. Pushed east by the Confederacy of the Dispossessed, they occupied the ruins of San Miguel el Grande and took possession of the Ferrocarril Pavón al Golfo de Taylor. They utilized the rail line to shuttle their army across Pavón, exerting control over the surrounding territory, to the small Golfo de Vermejo, a smaller bay within the larger Taylor Bay. Here they established a capitol at the village of Glorieta. The son of rebel leader Roberto Sanchez, Raul, was elected first President of the Republic, officially establishing the República Vermejo in 1743.

Etymology

The republic takes its name from the small Golfo de Vermejo (Vermilion Bay), located along the northwestern shores of the larger gulf known as Taylor Bay (Golfo de Taylor). The name refers to the reddish color of the water, likely due to the presence of red plankton or the muddy-red waters created by nearby red clay deposits and the delta of the Rio Glorieta.

History

Formation of the Republic

In 1705, Roberto Sanchez's defeat at the hands of the Imperialistas led to his fleeing to the hinterlands of Anahuaco. Operating from the Green west of Pavón, the Republicanos led a nomadic lifestyle surviving off of the generosity of locals. Here they slowly rebuilt an army of disenfranchised Anahuacana that were disgusted with the sloth and greed of the royalty while the rest of the population suffered. By the time of the East Keltian Collapse in 1736, the Republicanos saw an opportunity to seize the day. By this point Roberto Sanchez was in his eighties and had retired, while his son Raul had risen in his footsteps as a commander in the Republican Army.

When the government of Anahuaco collapsed, Raul led his army into the ruins of San Miguel el Grande and seized the railway depot there. He quickly organized what remained of the city and its supplies for bolstering his army, effectively turning it into a military base. The train was armed with plating pulled from whatever metal could be found, and in this way he was able to move his men very quickly over the mountains of the Sierra del Sur. With the Anahuacan diaspora ongoing, many families were fleeing to other countries. But this left a power vacuum that Sanchez seized upon. The rail terminus at Glorieta provided not only a strategic port and rail depot, it was also a hotspot of republican sentiment. By 1740 he had secured the rail route, ruins of San Miguel, and established a main base in Glorieta.

The next three years (1740-43) were spent consolidating republican control over the surrounding territory and preparing to transition to an official government. In mid-1743 the first Republican Congress of Vermejo was held in Glorieta. Sanchez was easily elected president of the republic. Minority leader Esteban Gutierrez was elected as Prime Minister to serve as chair of the National Congress, the state legislature. A ceremony on 22.XI.1743 AN, held in the plaza of Glorieta, announced the official declaration of the republic.

Sanchez's first obstacles will be to achieve unity among a people fractured by years of war, deprivation and exploitation. Republican support rests on the elimination of the upper classes that mistreated the lower class for generations, meanwhile establishing a viable industrial base to support the fledgling economy.

Geography

Most of the country is confined to the temperate coastal region that offers ideal conditions for farming and ranching. The state is split in the center by the Sierra del Sur mountains, traversed mainly by the Ferrocarril Pavón al Golfo de Taylor railway and a single winding road that is prone to seasonal temperaments. The coastal region is where most of the population resides, especially along the coast where small fishing villages thrive. On the western side of the range the land turns to arid desert that is nowadays mostly devoid of settlement. Most of these areas are held by far-reaching cattle ranches.

Map of Vermejo

Economy

The currency of Vermejo is the Vermejo peso (MOS: VPS). It is not currently pegged to another national currency, and is therefore considered a volatile market.

Government and politics

Vermejo is a federal presidential republic with an elected head-of-state (President) and elected head-of-government (Prime Minister).

The country is a federation of ten states: Alta, Guanajuato, Chilie, Quelite, Verde, Baja, Hidalgo, Sierra, Felicitas, and Desierto.

States of Vermejo

The executive power is exercised by the executive branch, which is headed by the president and their Cabinet, which, together, are independent of the legislature. Legislative power is vested upon the National Congress, a bicameral legislature comprising the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. Judicial power is exercised by the judiciary, consisting of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, the Council of the Federal Judiciary, and the collegiate, unitary, and district courts.

Demographics

The largest percentage of people in Vermejo identify as ethnic Guano, mostly of the former Anahuacan lower class. As smaller percentage claim Martino descent, these mostly from upper class families, some of which defected from royal lineage and gave up their titles in lieu of serving in the republic. The remainder are a mix of indigenous peoples, Nova English and other Britannics, and other transplants to the area.

Culture

The majority of modern Vermejans trace their ancestry back to Gran Verionia and the migration of the Guano people from the northern provinces across the Rio Rojo into what would become Anahuaco. The second-largest ancestry group stems from settlers who migrated from Nova England. These two groups have slowly amalgamated over the interceding generations into Vermejan society as we now know it.

Defence

The country's defense is organized by the Secretary of Defence, a cabinet-appointed position, while the President acts as Commander-in-Chief. The Republican Army was formed out of the various militias of the Republicanos and various rebel armies organized by Roberto Sanchez. With the founding the republic, these were formally incorporated into the Republican Army and efforts begun to standardize the various units within a cohesive and unified command structure. At present, Vermejo possesses only a small Air Force of several planes based out of the aerodrome at Glorieta, and a small naval fleet stationed at Las Islas.