Potatogate (Olmeria)

Potatogate, also known as the The Canespa Affair, and The Olmeria-Canespa Collusion Scandal, was a diplomatic and political scandal regarding the continuation Olmeria's economic and diplomatic relations with Canespa by then president Kiel Frieden, despite international condemnation of Canespan actions. It was further developed by public threats of Canespan interference in Olmerian elections in favour of the then pro-Canespa Unity Coalition. The scandal was the leading cause of the 2034 Olmerian Political Crisis, which saw the biggest political upheaval in Olmeria since the start of the 21st century.

Names and Origin

The scandal was widely dubbed Potatogate by Olmerian journalists, in reference to the main industry of Canespa. Additionally, a large part of the scandal related to the signing of a economic trade agreement by which Olmerian companies would be severely disadvantaged if they didn't buy potatoes, along with other related goods, from Canespa rather than the closer Levantine Union.

The origin of the term has been traced back to tabloid newspaper Aurora, in an article on the July 9th 2034 about the developing scandal. By the 12th, most major newspapers were using the term, although notably broadsheet paper the Olmerian Standard refused to adopt it, with the editor claiming it was "unprofessional, sensational, and a disgrace to proper journalism."

The scandal was described more formally by the Standard, and many official bodies, as The Canespa Affair, and later as The Olmeria-Canespa Collusion Scandal, in reference to President Frieden's underhand dealings with regards to Unity Coalition funding.

The Potatogate scandal is often described synonymously with the 2034 Olmerian Political Crisis, with the lines between the two events being somewhat blurred by the overwhelming impact of the Potatogate scandal in causing the crisis.

Background

History of Relations

Prior to 2034, Olmeria had long maintained a largely neutral stance in regards to it's relation with Canespa. The two states, separated by thousands of kilometres, had little reason to have any close interaction, and as such very little notable history exists between them.

TEEP Bill

This changed only in mid 2034, when the government of Olmeria, with a new focus on improving Olmerian influence in the League of Nations, drafted and then submitted the Transnational Environmental Externalities Protocol Bill (TEEP Bill). The Bill, while not mentioning Canespa by name, was widely publicised as a reaction to the Hamuq City Reservoir Crisis, and was vocally condemned by Canespa, who claimed it would restrict their ability to carry out ecological developments. Why Olmeria chose to undertake the responsibility of legislating in response to the crisis, when they themselves were minimally effected by it, was questioned by many at the time. Olmerian diplomats claimed the bill would prevent future conflicts, and therefore was in the interests of any nation trading in the region, but the reasoning seemed to lack any depth as to why the country would go to such lengths to be the one that proposed the legislation. It's suggested that heavy influence from coalition partner the Justice Party, who envision Olmeria as a neutral worldwide arbitrator of peace, led to the move in an attempt to build towards this vision.

Trade Deals

Despite slight diplomatic tensions over the TEEP Bill, Canespa reached out to Olmeria in late April, proposing a new trade deal between the nations. As part of a wide reaching upscale of the Canasta Company's operations, Canespa proposed tariff changes on specified products that would effectively force Olmerian companies to deal with only Canespan companies. The deal was accepted for imports of wheat/barley, potatoes, beans, tobacco, and syrup, on the agreement that all of these products would be sold for 7.5% cheaper than on the general market. Despite being signed on the 4th June, the deal was not due to come into force until the 1st September.

The deal had been the subject of extensive protest by Olmerian food companies for whom local trading partnerships with the much closer Levantine Union were more common, highly regarded and stable. Food management experts claimed the deal would make the nation 15 times more likely to suffer more than 5 food shortages a year, and 3 times more likely to face famine in the winter. This led to several small - medium scale public protests with citizens scared the action would lead to a repeat of the 1956 Olmerian Famine. The Unity Coalition's approval ratings dropped by nearly 8 points in the two weeks following the announcement, and their polling suffered similarly. Nearby nations including Fiannria also protested the deal saying it would put their farmers at a disadvantage and they would therefore cease trading food products with the country until the playing field was levelled once again.

International Developments

The creation of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Canespa (PGRC) in June 2034 kicked of a global movement against the governance of Canespa. Many global powerhouses recognised the replacement government and gave them the right to buy arms, condemning the corpocratic Canasta Company companies ruling of the nation. On July 6th Urcea proposed a League of Nations privileged motion that would remove Canespan congressional government representation from the LoN, and replace it with PGRC representation, effectively declaring the government illegitimate. The bill was later amended to remove any Canespan representatives from the congressional government or PGRC until a new state actor had been recognised by the security council. This bill passed a week later with overwhelming support from member nations.

The Treaty of Port St. Charles

Scandal

Initial Government Stance

Many citizens expected the Olmerian government, made up of the centrist Unity Coalition and Justice Party, to immediately join the international crowd in condemning Canespa and cutting economic and diplomatic ties with their government. However, much to journalists surprise, the only initial communication from the office for foreign relations was a brief statement that Olmeria would not be doing anything until further considerations could be made. In general, widescale media silence on the matter was kept by chiefs, although several senators commented that the move was necessary to ensure an informed response.

Olmerian views on Canespa were initially unaffected by international condemnation, but then plummeted following the nations attempts at election interference.

On reflection, most political analysts claimed, at the time, that this decision was reasonable and fair, with many describing the international reaction as "sudden and sensational", and saying that the Olmerian government was wise to take more caution. Despite frustrations over the recently signed trade deal, and a generally negative opinion of Canespa following human rights and environmental scandals, the public was initially against following the international crowd, with many sceptical of the PGRC's origins and motives. To most people, it seemed the condemnation, even if valid, had come too clearly of the back of the PGRC's creation and risked setting a dangerous precedent in favour of occidental-backed revolutionary groups.

President's Announcement

Public opinion was widely against Kiel Friedens announcement

Reaction and Consequences

Timeline of Events

• 4th June 2034 - Olmeria signs a trade deal with Canespa enforcing high tariffs on non-Canespan imports of wheat/barley, potatoes, beans, tobacco, and syrup. To be implemented in September.
• June 2034 - The PGRC are formed.
• July 4th - July 6th 2024 - Widescale international recognition of the PGRC and condemnation of corporate Canespan Government.

• July 6th 2034 - Spokesperson for the Olmerian Foreign Relations Office says Olmeria will not recognise the PGRC, cancel the new trade deal or cut ties with Canespa.
• July 6th 2034 - Canespa declares it will fund and support the Unity Coalition at the next Olmerian elections.
• July 6th 2034 - Opposition to Canespan ties begins from political parties and demonstrators.

• July 6th 2034 - Urcea introduces a League of Nations privileged bill mandating that a PGRC diplomat represent Canespa for league business.
• July 7th 2034 - Council of Chiefs emergency meeting over the future of Olmeria-Canespa relations begins.
• July 8th 2034 - President Kiel Frieden makes an announcement claiming he has rejected funding from Canespa, but confirming that Olmeria will not cut economic ties with the country, describing international action against them as a "witch-hunt".
• July 8th 2034 - Herse Lotvall resigns as Chief of Foreign Relations citing disagreement with the President's decision.
• July 9th 2034 - Hundreds of thousands of protestors gather outside Senate protesting government corruption over continued Canespa relations.
• July 9th 2034 - Olmerian LoN representative Joar Berkvist speaks in support of an amended motion to remove any Canespan representatives from the LoN, against government directives. He is fired hours later.
• July 10th 2034 - Justice Party withdraw from coalition government.
• July 12th 2034 - Leaks are released by Justice Party that demonstrate Kiel Frieden, despite claiming to have rejected all Canespan offers of party funding, accepted over 3m Lund in party funding from the Canespan government.
• July 13th 2034 - Senate votes for no confidence in a Unity Party minority government. Kiel Frieden resigns as president and is replaced by Progress Coalition leader Jack Hagglund.
• July 14th 2034 - Jack Hagglund suspends relations with Canespa until a general election can be held.
• July 21st 2034 - Progress Coalition become official government following the general election.
• January 16th 2035 - More leaks released showing underhand dealings, with personal and party bribes offered, between Kiel Frieden and Canespan government officials months before the scandal. Herse Lotvall claims he had no knowledge of these deals.