Cárdenas

Cárdenas Federal Capital District
[[|270px|Cárdenas photomontage|frameless]]
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: "Aut viam inveniam aut faciam." Audente: "I will either find a way or make one."
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Government
King of Nouvelle Alexandrie	Manco Cápac I
Legislature	Federal Capital District Council
Mayor of the Federal Capital District	Charles Delaire (SP)
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Cárdenas, formally the Federal Capital District (FCD), is the capital of the Federation of Nouvelle Alexandrie and the seat of government of the Federal Capital District. The city is located at the start of the Santanderian highlands and is closely connected with its "sister" cities - the port cities of Wechuahuasi and Jirishanca. As the seat of the New Alexandrian federal government and several organizations, the city is an important city in Nouvelle Alexandrie. After Punta Santiago, Parap, and Behaurnais, it is one of the most visited cities in the Federation.

The city was founded in 1509 AN, when the nation of Santander was founded. It quickly became one of the most prominent cities of the Kingdom, rising to the status of largest city. However, the King maintained the Government at Ciudad Real, the de facto capital of the Santander for many years until the Santanderian Revolution in 1519 AN. After the collapse of the communist government and Santander's union with Alexandria in 1526 AN, Cárdenas became the capital of the Viceroyalty of Santander, later the province of Santander. The collapse of the Alexandrian Empire in 1651 AN saw the area be part of the "Keltian Green", except for the rapid rise and fall of Gran Verionia from 1682 AN to 1685 AN.

After Alduria and the Wechua Nation joined into a Federation (that later became Nouvelle Alexandrie in 1693 AN), the federal government pursued aggressive expansion in Keltia, resettling and reestablishing the area along the lines of its Alexandrian and Valencian legacies. It was in 1686 AN that the Federal Capital Commission chose to refound the city and make it the capital of the new Federation. The Commission endorsed the Cárdenas Plan, submitted by architect Hyacinthe Betancourt. The city's design divides it into numbered blocks as well as sectors for specified activities, such as the Hotel Sector, the Banking Sector, and the Embassy Sector. The city is known for its impressive neo-Genevan architectural style and employment of Wechua design concepts.

Starting in 1865 AN, all three branches of Nouvelle Alexandrie's federal government will be centered in the city: executive, legislative, and judiciary. Its international airport is set to open in 1866 AN, and will connect the city to all other major New Alexandrian cities and many international destinations.

The city has a unique status as the Federal Capital District, as it is an full-fledged Region rather than a legal municipality like other cities in the Federation.

Security

The main garrison of the city and surrounding Federal District is provided by II Combined Arms Corps of the Federal Army, consisting of the 2^nd Command and Control Unit, the 2^nd Armoured Combat Unit, the 2^nd Area Defence Unit, and the 552^nd Rapid Reaction Unit.

The royal palaces, the Federal Assembly, and key government buildings, including foreign embassies, are protected by the Federal Royal Guards, whose duties includes protective operations to coordinate manpower and logistics with regional and local law enforcement, protective advances to conduct site and venue assessments for protectees, and protective intelligence to investigate all manners of threats made against protectees. The Federal Royal Guards is also in charge of the planning, coordination, and implementation of security operations for events designated as special events requiring extra security provisions and planning, usually involving foreign heads of state or government or a member of the Government or the Royal Family. As part of the Guards' mission of preventing an incident before it occurs, the agency relies on meticulous advance work and threat assessments developed by its Intelligence Division to identify and neutralise potential risks.

In the event of a serious incident, the Federal Royal Guard can field a motorised infantry regiment supported by light armour and artillery elements provided by the 1^st Guards Brigade of the Army, itself attached to the 552^nd Rapid Reaction Unit.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff Council and the General Staff occupy the New Citadel, a Neo-Babkhan ziggurat built of obsidian-clad ferroconcrete, and the four layers of subterranean tunnels and bunkers situated beneath. The New Citadel itself covers an area of 2,880 m² while the New Citadel Air Base and Cantonment covers an area of 28 km². The site is garrisoned by the 2nd Command and Control Unit, whose 606^th Area Defence Regiment provided the air defence assets emplaced onto the four flak towers built into the corners of the ziggurat structure, and operates the six Basilisk Beam batteries covering the approaches to the base area.

Generalised ground based air defence for the city is provided by two Silver Hammer regiments attached to the 2nd Area Defence Unit, with the batteries routinely rotated between concealed locations on the outskirts of the city under the cover of darkness.

Flying units operating out of the New Citadel Air Base are grouped under the Cárdenas Federal Air Defence Wing, including a squadron of FA-9 Banshees and an evaluation flight of F-17 Axarana tasked with air policing and interception missions.