African Entrepreneurship Records 2

Chapter 1629 Contact
When it comes to overseas interests, the United States and Great Britain were the main eroders of Spain's overseas interests, especially the United States. The Spanish-American War at the end of the 19th century was a key war that led to the collapse of the Spanish colonial empire.

The loss of colonies such as Cuba and the Philippines meant that Spain essentially lost all its overseas colonies of significant economic value.

……

The Canary Islands are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean next to Morocco, only a little over 100 kilometers from the Moroccan coast. They are separated from Morocco by sea and are also Spanish territory, but more than 1,000 kilometers from the mainland.

In other words, East Africa is closer to the Canary Islands than Spain, and of course, East Africa here mainly refers to the Dahra Bay military base that East Africa previously purchased from Spain.

Although Dahra is not native to East Africa, it is a clearly defined overseas territory of East Africa, not a colony, and its nature is similar to that of the Lanfang Overseas Province. Of course, Dahra is mainly used for military purposes.

From Dahela, it only takes a little over 700 kilometers to reach the Canary Islands.

On May 2, 1936, an East African merchant ship that had passed through Dahra finally arrived at the Canary Islands, which went unnoticed.

Like Cape Verde, the Canary Islands are an important transit point between the Americas, Africa and Europe, and also a European military outpost.

In its previous life, the Canary Islands served as an outpost for NATO and Spain during the Cold War to monitor the Atlantic sea lanes.

This passage has extremely high strategic, military, economic, and energy value. Strategically, the Canary Islands are one of the core hubs of the Atlantic Ocean, and the Canary Islands are an important route for Europe to Africa and the Americas.

In 1492, during his first voyage to the Americas, Columbus stopped and resupply on the island of La Gomera in the Canary Islands, which became an important outpost for his transoceanic voyage.

In the military sphere, occupying the Canary Islands would allow for the monitoring of maritime military activities between the Americas, Africa, and Europe, and could serve as a springboard to reach hotspots in these three regions.

Economically, many merchant ships from South America, the Caribbean, and Africa traveling to Europe pass through here, bringing relatively considerable economic benefits to the Canary Islands.

As for the energy sector, the Atlantic sea route where the Canary Islands were located in the past was one of the important ways for Europe to obtain overseas energy. For example, a lot of oil from Nigeria and Angola was sold to Europe.

In addition, as the southwesternmost border of Spain and the European Union in the past, the Canary Islands were one of the main sea routes for African migrants to reach Europe.

The fluctuations in immigration have made it a focal point for EU border control and refugee policy implementation, with many South American and African migrants who illegally cross into Europe choosing the Canary Islands as a transit point.

In conclusion, the Canary Islands are located in a very important position. Many merchant ships from the west coast of East Africa pass through here on their way to Europe, so it is not uncommon for East African merchant ships to stop in the Canary Islands.

However, an important figure was aboard the East African merchant ship Curtilaire, which docked at the Canary Islands this time: the East African envoy Tagian.

"The Canary Islands truly deserve to be called the pearl of the North Atlantic. The scenery here is far superior to that of Dahera. It would have been even better if our navy had acquired it instead!"

Tagian stood on the dock of Tenerife and sighed. Tenerife, this small Spanish city, has an exceptionally beautiful landscape. Behind it are towering and magnificent volcanoes, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean, overlooking the other islands of the Canary Islands.

Due to the influence of the ocean, the Canary Islands have a very mild and diverse climate. The entire archipelago enjoys a spring-like climate all year round, somewhat similar to the Mediterranean coast, which is quite rare. After all, Morocco and Western Sahara, just 100 kilometers to the east, are mainly desert terrain due to a lack of rainfall.

Tagean's assistant, William, said, "Sir, although it is very close to Morocco, the Canary Islands have a very good climate, and the Spanish have done a good job of developing it. It is the best window for East Africa to understand Spanish culture."

"As far as I know, the Canary Islands are known as a 'miniature continent' with beaches, ocean, mountains, and forests, offering a diverse range of landscapes. If possible, it would be a great place for retirement and vacation."

Tagian said with a smile, "The Canary Islands are indeed a suitable place to retire. The person we are going to meet today was exiled here by the Spanish government to 'retire'."

"Although the Canary Islands have a very good environment, they are far from the Spanish mainland, so the Spanish government sends some political criminals or undesirable people there."

Since the 15th century, the Canary Islands have been one of Spain's notorious penal colonies, where the Spanish government would exile criminals, political prisoners, and dissidents from the Iberian Peninsula, or pass through on their way to exile to distant South America.

However, today, the environment in the Canary Islands is obviously much better, and placing prisoners there is not a form of suffering, but rather a benefit.

Thanks to the development of the Canary Islands themselves, as well as the development of South America and Africa, the economic value of the Canary Islands has been further explored, and many Spaniards are eager to work and live there.

For Spaniards especially today, the Canary Islands are a veritable paradise, whereas mainland Spain, due to political struggles, various disturbances, and economic decline, is not a desirable place to live.

William said, “Sir, although the Canary Islands are a very nice place, I think the person we are about to visit is very unwilling to stay here. After all, his future lies in Spain, and the Canary Islands are not a place where he can realize his ambitions and aspirations.”

Tagian nodded and said, "For ambitious people, the Canary Islands, no matter how beautiful and peaceful, are just a cage. But I wonder if Franco is that kind of person."

The person Tagian was to visit and meet was none other than Franco, the famous Spanish politician from his previous life. However, there was no doubt that Tagian did not know much about this Spanish politician who was not "very famous" at the moment.

To say that Franco was not famous only applies to ordinary people; he did have a certain level of prestige within the Spanish government and military.

To East Africans, Franco was merely an important figure in the Spanish Nationalist faction, not to mention that the Republicans were now in power in Spain.

At the same time, Spain itself doesn't attract much attention. As a major world power in East Africa, there are too many countries to keep an eye on, including Britain, the United States, Germany, the Soviet Union, and so on. It would naturally take some effort for anyone, whether it's a Spanish "opposition party" or a military figure, to understand them.

Even so, East Africa did not obtain much information about Franco. Tagian only knew that this man was now one of the main leaders of the Nationalist Party, but it was impossible to draw conclusions about his character or values.

William said, "Based on the limited intelligence we have, Franco is a rather contradictory figure. He only has a certain level of influence within the Nationalist Party, and he is mainly active in the military, unlike those politicians who are more visible in Spain."

Tagian said, "Whether this person is a dragon or a tiger, we only need to meet him once, and the answer will be clear. Now let's go and see these hidden dragons of Spain!"

Tenerife isn't very large, about the size of a small town, and Franco's residence was easy to find, as he was now the supreme military commander of the Canary Islands. Tagian and his assistant were easily received by Franco, since he didn't usually have much to do there.

Although the Canary Islands have outstanding strategic value, not many countries have any designs on them, so the troops stationed there are relatively relaxed.

At that moment, Franco was sitting in his office, cleaning his pistol, waiting for the two men to arrive.

"Hello, General Franco, it seems you're having a good time in the Canary Islands?" Tagian said as soon as he entered.

Franco glanced at the visitor, narrowed his eyes, and asked, "It seems you're no ordinary person, Mr. Tagyan. I thought you were just a regular businessman looking for me!"

As secret envoys, Tagian and his assistant did indeed come as East African merchants, so Franco initially thought they were just seeking his help. Now, as soon as Tagian spoke, Franco sensed that "they had ill intentions."

The Tagian envoy was quite relaxed. He said to Franco, "General, you are indeed insightful. I am certainly not some so-called businessman."

Franco asked unhurriedly, "So who are you people, what is your purpose in coming here, and why are you looking for me?"

In fact, Franco already had some guesses in mind based on Taji's identity as an East African "businessman" and his Spanish with an East African accent.

East Africans are common in the Canary Islands, so Franco, who had lived there for some time, could easily distinguish between East Africans and South Americans.

Why South Americans? This is an interesting topic, because some people from South American countries look almost identical to East Africans, the most typical being Paraguayans and Bolivians.

South Americans of Spanish descent, due to intermarriage with Native Americans, more or less retain some characteristics of East Asians.

Therefore, it is difficult to completely distinguish people from East Africans in some South American countries by their appearance. Of course, East Africans also have some unique characteristics, such as their clothing, accents, and mental outlook, which are obviously much more prominent than those of people from South American countries.

After all, East Africa is one of the world's few superpowers, and the quality of life is relatively high. Therefore, East Africans living abroad naturally have a sense of superiority. Tajian and his assistant William clearly exude this quality and have a great presence.

Tajian leaned back on the sofa calmly and said, "General, you don't need to guess. I am indeed representing the Empire in this contact with you."

"As for why we are meeting with you, it is because we think highly of you as a person, not because of the faction behind you."

Upon hearing Tagian reveal his identity directly, Franco sat up slightly and looked at Tagian, asking, "Mr. Tagian, is your so-called imperial government referring to the official East African government?"

Even though Tagian had already revealed his identity, Franco still wanted to confirm it again. After all, there were indeed many clever swindlers in the 19th and 20th centuries who impersonated important figures to seek personal gain.

For a very cautious person like Franco, these details need to be carefully guarded, because what he is doing is inherently risky, and one wrong move could lead to utter ruin.

Tajian nodded and said, “Of course. I am here on behalf of the East African government and was personally dispatched by Crown Prince Frederick to contact you.”

Franco's heart was pounding, but his expression remained calm: "Is there any evidence?"

Tagian gestured, and then William took two pieces of identification and a letter from his briefcase and handed them to Franco on the table.

Franco took the items and examined them carefully. The clear official seals and excellent workmanship almost confirmed that the two men were official figures from East Africa.

Then he looked at the letter again and asked, "May I open this letter?"

Tagian said, "Of course, but General Franco, after you have read it, please destroy the letter immediately."

Franco nodded and agreed to Tagian's request. He opened the letter and began to read it. The letter was actually written by Crown Prince Frederick himself, expressing his intention to cooperate with Franco and authorizing Tagian's envoy to negotiate and communicate with Franco on relevant matters.

After reading the contents of the letter, Franco, under the watchful eyes of Tagian and the other man, lit the letter with a lighter and burned it.

He then sat back down on the sofa and asked, "Mr. Tagian, what is your purpose in interfering in Spanish affairs this time?"

Tagian said with a smile, "General Franco is overthinking it. We in East Africa have no ill intentions towards Spain."

"After all, historically East Africa and Spain have always had a good relationship. As for why we seek to cooperate with you, you can see it as an investment. After all, compared to the Labour Party members, the Nationalists are more trustworthy to the Empire."

"As an important figure in the Nationalist faction, we in East Africa have high hopes that you can become the leader of Spain. So why not make good relations with you in advance to lay a solid foundation for further development of relations between Spain and East Africa in the future?"

Franco asked, "You think so highly of me, and not everyone else?"

Tagian explained, "The reason is simple. Almost everyone knows the current situation in Spain. A war is inevitable, and in the upcoming war, whoever performs better will be able to rise faster."

"The Empire has high hopes for your military talent. We believe that General Franco, as the former chief of staff of Spain and with great influence in the elite Afrika Korps, has a greater than 80% chance of success in the war."

"If external support is added, the probability of General Franco eventually ascending to the Spanish throne is also very high."

Upon hearing this, Franco was basically certain that the East Africans valued his influence in the military, including his military talent. Franco himself was also convinced that he would be able to unite the military forces controlled by the Nationalists in the future.

(End of this chapter)