Religious and conservative forces are rising to greater power in the emerging Huenyan Federation, in what observers of that state believe is a backlash against the country’s former rulers – and its current ones.
In the first ever Huenyan national elections, a center-left coalition led by the Unification Party (UP) took control of the country. While this coalition has made major progress in leading the rebuilding of Huenya’s economy and infrastructure, continued security failures and recent territorial losses to Xiomeran nationalist separatists are increasingly pushing many Huenyans to the right. The Party of Huitzilopochtli (PH), the Huenyan Conservative Party (HCP), Huenya Standing Tall (HST) and the Party of the Advancing Liberation (PL) have formed their own coalition and are sharply attacking the ruling coalition over continued insecurity in the country.
This coalition is led by Acxopotl, the former Defense Secretary who was fired after clashing with Vice-Speaker Tiacihitli over security related matters. As leader of the Party of Huitzilopochtli, Acxopotl has aligned himself with the Teotzin, the Huenyan indigenous religion. The High Priest Tlocuauhtoa is the head of the Teotzin in Huenya. He is widely credited for bringing the various factions in Huenya together during the rebellion against Xiomera with his vision of a united Huenyan state where the four ethnic groups of the country had equal power and rights. But since Huenya’s formation, those on the center to left in Huenyan political and social circles have grown concerned that Tlocuauhtoa, along with Acxopotl and his coalition, are using a resurgence of religion in Huenya to drive the country further right. The High Priest regularly makes addresses to the nation in which he urges Huenya to become “a nation rooted in values, in faith, in tradition and moral right.”
Acxopotl routinely mirrors similar language. “Huenya must become a nation that follows the good, lives the good, and stands for the good both at home and anywhere else it is needed. If we choose to stand for nothing, as our current leadership stands, we will mean nothing as a nation, and we will have no use or impact as a nation to the world,” he said on his weekly radio show on September 26th. He also repeated a longstanding “mission” for Huenya to stand as the first line of defense against Xiomera.
“While the sacrifices, generosity and efforts of our friends in the world, such as Eiria, Laeral and Milintica are greatly appreciated, ultimately it is not their job to be the front line against the evil Empire and its tyrant ruler. It is our mission, our purpose and our responsibility as Huenyans to hold that line ourselves, to be the force that stands in front of Calhualyana and tells her not here, not now, not ever. We have been given our freedom by the gods to serve that purpose – to block the machinations of the dying Empire, and someday, be the final nail in its coffin,” Acxopotl said.
It is that language and “mission” which concerns many center-left Huenyan leaders, as it stands on the assumption that a renewed war with Xiomera is not only inevitable, but desirable and even mandated by faith. “Acxopotl and Tlocuauhtoa genuinely seem to think that it’s part of our destiny to overthrow the Xiomeran Empire and unite all of Huenya, by force if need be,” Onacan, a Green Party legislator from Tluco, told DTNS. “For those of us who are weary of war – which is pretty much half of Caxcana by now – that’s a very unsettling thought.”
The push towards the right, and towards “moral values”, can be seen manifesting itself in other ways. In the cities of Conala, Taltumba and Huetepec, local authorities engaged in a major crackdown on drug sellers and producers this week. They also targeted “purveyors of smut and filth” such as sex-related businesses, making over three hundred arrests. All three cities are led by politicians who are part of the PH-led coalition. The targeting of sex workers was denounced by the UP-led governing coalition, which accused the conservative leaders of whipping up a “moral panic”.
With his administration already struggling to maintain public support, it is unclear how Vice-Speaker Tiacihitli plans to head off the challenge from the right – or if he can.
Huenya announces it is rejoining coalition in Auria
Vice-Speaker Tiacihitli announced today that Huenyan forces will rejoin the coalition seeking to restore Queen Sophie to power in Auria.
“With a cease-fire being arranged on our own soil, we are once again able to renew our commitment to help the people of Auria liberate themselves from the rule of the illegitimate coup government there. This reaffirms our commitment to work positively with our neighbors in Caxcana to ensure stability, peace and order in the region,” the Vice-Speaker said at a press conference.
Huenyan forces are expected to join the front in Auria within the next two weeks, adding to a mix of Lauchenoirian, Eirian and Milintican forces in the country.
