The Huenyan Federal Legislature has approved the nomination of Xiadani as interim Vice-Speaker until new elections can be held to fill the role permanently. Xiadani was approved by a unanimous vote in the Chamber of Executives, and with only 20 votes against in the Chamber of Deputies.
In her speech to the joint session of the Legislature following her approval, the new Vice-Speaker took a hard line against both the Xiomeran Empire and the ongoing insurgency in Huenya. Speaking directly to the Golden Blade-led insurgents, Xiadani warned that her administration would only give the group 48 hours to begin laying down their arms. She offered negotiations with the group to discuss the status of predominantly ethnic Xiomeran districts in Huenya, but said that “all violence against the state must cease” prior to negotiations. If the group refuses to enter negotiations and lay down their arms, Xiadani promised a full-scale offensive “using whatever means we have to use” to end the insurgency.
Like her predecessor, Tiacihitli, Xiadani also has asked the Legislature to grant her virtually unlimited authority to deal with the separatist uprising. Unlike her predecessor, however, the Legislature has chosen to grant the new Vice-Speaker the full scope of authority she was seeking. This will allow her to utilize the Huenyan military and law enforcement, as well as the Special Investigative and Prosecutorial Service (SIPS), as she and Great Speaker Texōccoatl see fit for the duration of a “special emergency period”.
It is also widely expected that Xiadani will utilize airstrikes, as well as missile and artillery barrages, to uproot the insurgents. Many districts are already under mandatory evacuation orders, as the Huenyan government seeks to move civilians to safety prior to beginning a massive offensive.
The new Vice-Speaker also directly accused the Xiomeran Empire of being behind both the assassination of her predecessor and the current uprising. She warned that “if Xiomera chooses to ignore the Jinyu Agreement, than so shall we moving forward.” Xiadani stated that no travel into Huenya from Xiomera at all will be allowed moving forward. She also stated that Huenya “reserves the right to eliminate” any arms or supply routes to the Golden Blade, “whoever they may belong to or wherever they may be.”
The new Vice-Speaker finished her speech with this statement: “The goal of both the Xiomeran Empire and this insurgency they are supporting is to destroy Huenya. We will not let that happen. They want to end our dream of independence, and turn it into a nightmare. But I say this very clearly to Calhualyana and her lackeys: our dream is just beginning, and it will survive long after the Xiomeran Empire is reduced to a tale of disgust in history books. You will break before the spirit of Huenyans does.”
