Jose Canazarro

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Jose Canazarro was a Terran soldier, lawyer and politician. He was the 14th President of the Republic.

Early Life

Jose Canazarro was born to a lower middle class family on St Lawrence in 2560. His parents worked for the Lucky-Star ranch, where is mother was the senior financial officer for the ranch.
Jose was a so-so student and, by his own admission, "i did not apply himself enough" in high school, graduating with a medicore grade point average. His family did not have the means to pay for him to go to a top college so he took a Marine Corps Scholarship.
Jose attended Elmtree College, on a Marine Corps scholarship, he studied Political Science. He was a diligent, well liked student and a part of the student council. He also took part in the college debate society and developed his "socially conservative" views at that point.
Whilst serving in the marines, Jose met Leonette Chisolm, a ranch owner from St Lawrence. The two hit it off and got married when he next spent time on St Lawrence. They have four children:

• Lucy Canazarro - she/her - B 2590
• Antonia Canazarro -she / her -B 2595
• Alexander Canazarro -he / him - B 2600
• Clayton Canazarro - he / him -B 2605

Jose Canazarro is a comitted Valtinist and attends services regularly. He is known to enjoy horse-riding, cooking, camping and hunting.

Marine Corps

After finishing his time in college, Jose enlisted in the marine corps, as per his Marine Corps scholarship. He trained at a marine training base on St Lawrence, where he was considered a strong officer cadet. He was praised for his "initiative, toughness and physical fitness, as well as his natural leadership skills."
He carried his company pennant three years in a row and graduated fifth in his class at the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He was initially deployed to Earth as a platoon leader in a newly raised Marine Regiment, the 288th Rifle Regiment. He was praised by his CO for his "dedication to fitness and close order drill."
In 2584 he was promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant and named company Executive Officer. His regiment was deployed to Vodhyna for two years and he took place in preparations for a potential Dhau invasion of the planet.
In 2586 the 288th Regiment was deployed to Al Ahily to take part in training operations there.
In 2588 his regiment was deployed to Avalon to aid in the relief effort on the planet after the outbreak of the "Snow Plague". he was praised by his commander and mentioned in dispatches. He was promoted to the rank of Captain and named a battalion XO.
In 2588 he mustered out of service after six years in active duty service.

Lawyer

Jose attended Sommerset College in Standard City on St Lawrence. He achieved his Juris Doctorate and then passed the bar and became a private client lawyer. He worked for one year for Durrel & McGinlay but then set up his own firm, Canzarro & Associates, which later became Canazarro & Keightley after college friend Marco Keightley joined the firm as an equity partner.
Jose generally worked in low level private client law, doing land deals, probate, certifying wills and divorce settlements. He also did work for the Standard City council. He developed strong relationships with local corporations and the council as well as the local political scene.

St Lawrence Politics

Jose became active in St Lawrence's political scene whilst working as a private client lawyer. A social conservative, he worked with Ravenheart and Onyx , before settling Onyx as he felt that "Ravenheart's views are too extreme."
He was elected to the Standard City Council in 2589 on the Onyx ticket but spent just one year on the council before he was selected to the Onyx list for the General Assembly in 2590. A favorite of the local chairman, he was named #199 to the Onyx list and aged just 30, he was elected to the General Assembly.
Jose has a reputation of working hard for St Lawrence politics and despite Onyx's status as a "mid-table" party on the planet, he has always made frequent trips to the planet and kept up local relationships.

General Assembly Rep

Jose Canazarro was formally sworn in as a GA Rep at just 30 years old in 2590. A relatively junior member of the Onyx delegation, he was initially assigned to the "Agriculture" committee where he spoke out for St Lawrence's farmers and ranchers, as well as ag-business.
He quickly developed a reputation for sharpness, strong instincts for deals and a willingness to follow party discipline. He had few media appearances but impressed with his "natural, folksy" style.
In 2594 he was a key voice in oppostion to the constitution of 2594 but after it passed, he backed "Wait and Observe" as well as calls to "ratify the constituion."
He moved in 2595 to the Judiciary Committee and continued to burnish his reputation within Onyx. There were members of the leadership that saw him as a man with a big future, though they were talking about a potential senate run on St Lawrence.

Nominee for Vice President

In 2595, during the Convention talks, Rep Canazarro met Demba Madawi the former Foreign Secretary. The two became friends and over time, Demba Madawi became a mentor to Jose, helping him get media access and to raise money.
In 2600, after Vice President Estelle Bancroft (ONX) secured the party's nomination for President, Jose was pushed by some of his socially conservative allies, including Demba Madawi, to make a challenge to Bancroft at the 2600 convention. He started to put together a bid to challenge her and gained traction.
A deal was sought for party unity and he agreed to withdraw and back her. In return, she named him as her running mate.
Despite his youth, Rep Canzarro did well during the 2600 campaign and was a ceaseless and energetic campaigner. The Onyx ticket finished 3rd but Rep Canazarro had improved his reputaiton.
He rejected an offer to get a spot on the Onyx GA list in 2600, citing "I'm not takin' someone elses place. We lost, time to do something else for a while."
He refused to rule out a political comeback.

Reinlistment in the Marines - Dhau War

With the outbreak of the war against the Dhau and the threat of an invasion of Vodhyna, Jose Canazarro reinlisted in the Republic Marine Corps at the age of 40. He was fast-tracked through his reinlistment training at Camp Seddon on Earth and granted his old rank of Captain.
He was given a company commander role and trained reservists during the 2601-2605 period. He briefly served as a regimental operations officer in 2605
In 2606 he transferred to the 74th Marine Air Mobile Regiment, where he initially served as a battalion Executive Officer and then later as a company commander.
In 2608 he was deployed, along with his regiment, to Vodhyna and took part in Operation Silver Meteor. His regiment landed at LZ Condor and came under very heavy fire. Captain Canazarro was lightly wounded in his left arm by Dhau small arms fire and he led his company to secure the LZ. He was mentioned in dispatches.
In 2609 he took part in brutal fighting at the Sekar Ridge line, where he won the Navy cross for bravery as he led a company assault on two Dhau strong-points. He was promoted to the rank of Major and given a battalion command. He took part in more fighting, this time during the Solokon Mountain campaign. He was once again mentioned in dispatches.
In August of 2609, with combat operations winding down, he returned to St Lawrence and mustered out of serviec again. He was promted to the rank of Colonel.
On his return to St Lawrence, he confirmed that he intended to seek the Onyx party nomination for President in 2610.

Nominee for President of the Republic

Jose worked with Demba Madawi and his son, Salif, to secure the Onyx party nomination at the 2610 convention. He faced competition from Senator Rebecca Hale, Senator Gerrion Burris and a few others but none of them were considered to be particularly strong opposition.
Jose got a lot of media attention for running a "cook out" before the convention which drew fans and helped to establish his authentic approach.
In the end, Jose won the nomination on the first ballot, comfortably defeated Senator Hale and Rep Hayse Gridley. He chose young GA Rep and Valtinist preacher Wren Dando as his running mate. He named Demba Madawi as General Chairman of his election campaign and longtime friend and fellow St Lawrence lawyer Shelly Hale as his campaign manager.
From the start, the Canazarro / Dando campaign was seen as the clear front-runner, often appearing to be somewhere between six and ten points clear of the SDP or RCP. The campaign kept a positive tone wherever possible and promoted its message of "positive change" and "fresh new ideas."
Jose proved to be a strong campaigner, even more than in 2600 and he was hugely popular with crowds. His authentic approach, folksy charm and charisma made him a powerful campaign presence.
He competed well in the presidential debates, despite a lack of debate experience, and held his own, increasing his own personal popularity.
Onyx won both ballots and Jose Canazarro was elected President of the Republic in 2610.

My fellow Terrans. Thank you. Tonight, honored by your trust and ready to lead this Republic. I want to begin by honoring Nora Cates. She has been a strong and worthy opponent, and our Republic is stronger for her service and commitment. To everyone who cast their vote, whether it was for me or for her, I thank you for showing that the heartbeat of our democracy is alive and powerful. But standing here, I don’t just see victory. I see sacrifice.
Burned into my memory I see the faces of soldiers I served with, those who gave everything and will never see the Republic they protected. We’ve all felt those losses. We’ve watched loved ones go to war, and some of us have buried friends, neighbours, and family members who believed this Republic was worth fighting for.
And I’m here to tell you this: we will be a Republic worthy of those sacrifices. We’re not here to simply carry on; we’re here to rise higher, to be stronger, to be more than what came before. Nothing about this will ever be easy. Nothing about building greatness ever is. But I believe in the power of our people. Every Terran, from the heart of Sol to the farthest colony, knows that true excellence comes from grit, from resilience, from standing shoulder to shoulder when things get tough. We face hard truths in the days ahead. This war has taken a toll, and the quadrant beyond is filled with forces that would see us controlled, divided and kept weak. But I promise you: we will not bow. We will not let our sovereignty be bargained away. Our alliances, our choices—all of it will be Terran-first, always. We’ve sacrificed too much to be anything less. Folks, let me tell you what we’re going to build—a Republic that’s strong and self-reliant. One where every citizen knows that the government serves them, not the other way around. A Republic that respects and remembers the sacrifices that got us here. And we will ask every Terran to stand with us in this work, because this isn’t about waiting for greatness. It’s about building it together, day by day, through action and commitment.
To those who look at our Republic tonight with doubt, let them know that we are not scared and we are ready. Ready to build a future that our children will be proud of. And for those who don’t have the stomach for it, who would rather sit back and watch, step aside because we are ready to prove, once again, that Terrans don’t just endure - we win. Tonight, we celebrate, but tomorrow the hard work begins. Together, we have a war to win, a Nation to strengthen and a Sacrifice to hono

President Jose Canazarro's acceptance speech

President of the Republic

Jose Canazarro was sworn in as President on 1st June 2610 by Associate Justice Marissa Byron. He named longtime mentor Demba Madawi as his chief of staff. Madawi and Shelly Hale recruited a "top team of Onyx staff" who became known as the "Prayer Circle" due to the weekly Valtinist talks that the group took part in.
Onyx worked with the other conservative parties to form a working cabinet. Demba Madawi led most of the talks but Lord Frederick Sondeheim (ONX), Princess Anastacia Valane (ONX) and former President Mina Carrero (ONX) helped to talk the other potential partners around.
The Isolationist Party, despite a weak showing the General Assembly were offered two cabinet places "in recognition of the talent and knowledge within the party". Terra Undivided got one place but also had influence within the Dept of Justice.
Despite some concerns about Ravenheart, they were offered the Foreign Ministry.

Senior Staff

• Chief of Staff - Demba Madawi (ONX)
• Deputy Chief of Staff - Shelly Hale (ONX)
• Senior Counsel - Jonah Hemmings (ONX)
• Senior Counsel - Holden McCay (ONX)
• Communications Director - Herrick Lane (ONX)
• Deputy Communications Director - Surimann (ONX)
• Press Secretary - Vass Truman (ONX)
• National Security Adviser - Admiral Matheu Greave (ONX)
• Legal Counsel -Tyman Greer (ONX)

1st Canazarro Cabinet

• Vice President - Wren Dando (ONX)
• Attorney General - Ward Dutton (ISO)
• Secretary of Defence -MacCauley Gavish (ISO)
• Foreign Secretary - Sloane Kelligan (RHC)
• Treasury Secretary -Trafford Mills (ONX)
• Interior Secretary - Ivy Valane (ONX)
• Intelligence Secretary -Rochelle Rykker (IND)
• Education & Skills Secretary -Rebecca Hale (ONX)
• Trade & Transport Secretary - Tyrius Zelman (TU)

The First Cabinet was generally considered to be a well oiiled and efficient machine, with strong communications and even the opposition parties conceded that it had "been an effective government."

The Dhau War Continues

The Canazarro administration inherited tthe ongoing Dhau war, though it had a far stronger starting point than the Schilling administration did. The Terrans held Vodhyna, with a strong fleet protecting it and the Dhau were on their side of the border in all cases.
The Terran fleets faced attacks in Fort Pitcairn, which were turned back after a very successful ambush by the Terran fleets there.
Meanwhile, the President authorized the use of WELROD missiles, FTL capable AI driven missiles, capable of delivering a powerful payload to a target light years away. The first strikes were fairly ineffective, attempting to target moving objects including Dhau capital ships.
However, in May of 2612, a WELROD strike package including nuclear tipped warheads, struck at four Dhau worlds and destroyed military facilities but also inflicted casualties in the low millions. This drew a foreign policy outcry and the President was later forced into an apology.
There were two major battles in the Vodhyna system, with the principal Terran fleet element, Task Force Gold, causing heavy losses to the Dhau who, never the less, were able to secure the gravity well around the planet.
Peace talks were proposed after the 3rd Battle of Vodhyna but the Dhau rejected the Terran peace-offer and the war looked set to drag on into its fourteenth year.

The Elazar Affair

The President was made aware by the Dept of Justice that Governor Cato Elazar (RHC) of Gaia had been "implicated in passing intelligence and resources to terrorist factions." The DoJ had developed a case against him but there were concerns about the political impact.
The President gave Attorney General Ward Dutton (ISO) a free hand to pursue the case and in January of 2613, Foreign Secretary Sloane Kelligan (RHC) was informed of the matter and told that "due to Governor Elazar's relationship as a key leader within Ravenheart, she would have to resign." She agreed to do so.
In February that year, Federal Agents formally charged Governor Elazar with "crimes relating to and including terrorism." He was arrested from the Governor's mansion on Gaia and went peacefully into custody.
Ravenheart formally left the coalition but continued to, generally, vote with the administration.
The President promoted Education Secretary and former Senator Rebecca Hale (ONX) to take over as Foreign Secretary.

The Jasper Disaster

The cabinet was informed in November of 2610 that there had been "a significant incident" in the Lalande 117A system after an investigation by House Solarin's NEOG. They had lost four ships investigating the system. The Dept of the Interior sent ships to the region and they too were lost.
The Dept of the Interior put a "No Fly" order in place in the system in 2611.
In 2614, there was an outbreak of "unknown attacks" on mining ships in the Jasper system. This was later confirmed to be the action of "Rogue nanites".
The Navy was deployed to destroy the Nanite swarms using EMPs and end the crisis in the Jasper system. However, the system of Lalande 117A was considered to be a "No go" system as it was "infected with rogue nanites".
The Canaarro administration passed a new Nanite safety law during its first five years, though many experts felt it did not go far enough.

Economic Measures

The Terran economy was badly weakened after nearly ten years of war and wartime spending. There was a high tax environment and market confidence was affected by issues in the mining industry and by the Tazzyn recalling their fifty billion adjusted dollar loan early, a measure approved by the exiting Foreign Secretary, Dr Grogan Westfield (GUR).
Foreign Secretary Sloane Kelligan (RHC) agreed a new repayment schedule with the Tazzyn Empire, which allowed the Republic a longer period to repay but with punitive interest, adding up to additional payments of fifteen billion adjusted dollars in interest.
Treasury Secretary Trafford Mills (ONX) agreed tax cuts to help the mining industry, as well as subsidies to aid them. There were also tax cuts for families and spread across working and middle class families.
Ten billion adjusted dollars of Tazzyn debt was paid down but a loan was taken out with the Hansa to cover spending. Economists felt that the economy was "very likely to continue to shrink in 2615".
The Republic's budget was passed with the only opposition coming from Stop the War.

Foreign Policy Problems

The Republic had significant foreign policy issues as the WELROD strike against the Dhau shocked the galactic community, who viewed the use of FTL nuclear weapons as the "Use of WMDs". The Straetek ambassador was withdrawn for three months and the Tranoan ambassador insisting on an explanation.
The President was forced to apologize for the use of nuclear weapons against planets, which had drawn domestic criticism from the SDP, STW, Gurava and even the normally a-political House Solarin.
When things had begun to settle, there was a new issue as it was revealed to the international community that the Republic Navy had "cloaked ships", in violation with agreemens with the Tranoan Empire. The Republic's foriegn reputation took another downturn as a result.
Salborian Conflict The Salborian Free-State continued its conflict against the CCN Allies and the Terran Republic did not send any significant aid to the allies, which was not well recieved by the CCN.
Without Hressan ships, the Salborians would likely have won every battle but as it was, the Salborians were able to hold their own against the nummerically superior CCN force.
Salborian aggressiveness and natural skill in combat, as well as there homognous command structure, opposed to the allied one under CCN leadership, was cited as reasons for the Salborian victories.
The President was critical of the military capabilities of the CCN allies, though he had praise for the Gannid Commonwealth.

Insurgencies & Crime

The Republic faced multiple terrorist attacks, insurgencies and a crime wave:

St Lawrence

The Republic faced an ongoing insurgency by the Long Riders on St Lawrence. Apparently funded by Dhau agents, the Long-Riders fought a low intensity war against local security forces.
An RFP task force, backed by a deployment of Tyrian Marines, arrived on St Lawrence and appeared to stabilize matters.

Nova Terra

In September of 2614, there was an outbreak of violence between the "Technocratic Guard" and suspected Burning Path forces on Nova Terra. There was a major attack on Port Wellington.

Burning Path

Burning Path conducted a highly effective attack, largely against the AI community and the administration came in for criticism for its failure to take the threat seriously enough. Attorney General Ward Dutton cited "the high number of threats" and that the DoJ was "doing all it could."
The terrorist attacks, generally claimed by Burning Path, and the insufficient response, came in for sharp criticism from the SDP and the RCP.

Crime Wave on Vanheim

There was a major crime wave on Vanheim as local gangs clashed over territory, leading to a sharp spike in the murder rate. The RFP deployed resources to the planet and worked in conjunction with local police, though the issue was far from resolved.
The administration came in for criticism for its failure to deal with organized crime.

Administrative Efforts

The Carrero government undertook a "long overdue" clean up of the civil service. Many of the "Schilling appointees" were dismissed or redeployed and replaced, as well as a number of civil servants were "Moved on". The overall numbers in the civil service decreaed for the first time in 30 years.
There was also an additional census to correct long out of date voting records. There was also an effort to "ensure safety and security for voting" undertaken by the Dept of the Interior, which came in for scrutiny by the SDP.

Mid-Term Reshuffle

In 2615, President Canazarro undertook the conventional cabinet reshuffle. All cabinet members were asked to tender their resignation so that the President would have the option to choose whom to hire or not.
Shelly Hale (ONX) replaced Demba Madawi (ONX) as the new Chief of Staff and she refreshed the senior staff to the President.
Attorney General Ward Dutton (ISO), Treasury Secretary Trafford Mills (ONX), Interior Secretary Ivy Valane (ONX) and Transport Secretary Tyrus Zelman (TU) were kept on as a part of the reshuffle.
Senior Staff

• Chief of Staff - Shelly Hale (ONX)
• Deputy Chief of Staff - Marcella De Montfort (ONX)
• Senior Counsel - Jonah Hemmings (ONX)
• Communications Director - Herrick Lane (ONX)
• Deputy Communications Director - Gnaes Gelman (ONX)
• Press Secretary - Dover Berryman (ONX)
• National Security Adviser - General Katie Irvine (IND)
• Legal Counsel -Nicholsen Ford (ONX)

2nd Canazarro Cabinet

• Vice President - Wren Dando (ONX)
• Attorney General - Ward Dutton (ISO)
• Secretary of Defence -Said Bearman (ISO)
• Foreign Secretary - Camilla Navarro (RHC)
• Treasury Secretary -Trafford Mills (ONX)
• Interior Secretary - Ivy Valane (ONX)
• Intelligence Secretary - Derrien Lewis (TU)
• Education & Skills Secretary -Hayse Gridley ONX)
• Trade & Transport Secretary - Tyrius Zelman (TU)

The Dhau War Ends

The 3rd Terran-Dhau war was now in its 14th year and both sides were more or less were they had started. The Republic held a defensive line at Vodhyna and Fort Pitcairn, whilst a small Dhau forces continued to resist in the mountains of Vodhyna.
With peace talks on the horizon, the Dhau launched a major offensive. A large Dhau fleet of 200 ships attacked the Republic fleet in the Fort Pitcairn system and won a significant victory, destroying around 40 Republic ships. The Dhau fleet then blockaded the planet.
Meanwhile, another smaller Dhau force of 100 ships arrived in the undefended New Berlin system. Local militia forces were swept aside with ease and the Dhau occupied the planet's gravity well.
The showdown battle was at Vodhyna were the two main battles fleets made contact again. The Republic Navy executed a flawless pincer move, using the carriers to bait the Dhau and then attacking from multiple angles. The Dhau got the worse of the initial contact and began to withdraw under pursuit.
Near the H44 jump lane, there was another major battle as the Dhau fleet fought a desperate rear-guard action. Two Dhau battleships were lost to heavy fire from the Terran fleet and the Dhau jumped back into their own space.
The Republic Navy prepared to follow up but before this could happen, peace talks began.

Peace Talks

The Republic then began peace talks with the Dhau, with the Tazzyn acting as brokers and mediators. After tense talks, initially led by the Secretary of Defence, Said Bearman (ISO), the latter stages of the talks saw a broad agreement made:
* The world of Vodhyna would be partitioned between the two powers, with a buffer zone that would be enforced by a neutral coalition. * All prisoners would be returned * ALl bodies would be returned where practical * Both sides would cease funding subversion within the others sphere of influence. * A 30 year treaty would be agreed.
The Republic's Senate would be required to confirm the treaty agreement but nearly all parties appeared to be willing to back the treaty in order to end the unpopular and costly war.

Major Tax Reform

Somewhat unexpectedly for a "low tax" party, Onyx introduced a revolutionary new wealth tax that would go after the richest 1% of persons within the Republic, with one band of tax targetting only those with assets in excess of 300 billion adjusted dollars.
The tax reform, The Guardian Tax Act, was passed by the GA and began to generate significant revenues.

Crime and Disorder

After the speech by Brionne Elazar, Burning Path began a major terrorist campaign and several attempted insurgencies. After recommendations from Attorney General Ward Dutton (ISO), President Canazarro agreed that emergency powers were required.
The President initially intended to pass these by Executive order but later was persuaded to allow a vote in the General Assembly. The vote passed with a bare plurality after many major parties simply abstained on the matter.
Burning Path's attacks were launched on Gaia against a marine base, Nova Terra where they briefly seized the capital of Port Wellington and on St Lawrence where there were bloody secterian battles between Burning Path and the Valtinist Rangers.
The DoJ under Ward Dutton also successfully launched a major raid on Avalon that hit Torment, seizing a massive amount of narcotics and making dozens of arrests.
The President did not have it all his way, however. The Gawain Knottman legal fund challenged the legality of preventing felons from voting, which was upheld by the Supreme Court.
The Senate also overturned an Executive Order that would have been used to regulate psionics within the Republic.

Turbulence

As the Canazarro administration finished its term, there was significant problems as first Defence Secretary Said Bearman (ISO) resigned in opposition to the peace treaty made with the Dhau Empire.
After the 2620 election cycle began, Baron Gaius Corvo (HOT) was arrested for "breaches of campaign finance laws". It was later revealed that the Baron had attempted to sell his senate seat on First Light to lobbyists.
Then the campaign was hit by the resignation, pending formal charges, of Intelligence Secretary Derrien Lewis. (HOT). The Senate oversight committee began hearings into the "Moreland affair" and there was even talk of a special prosecutor being appointed.

End of Term

As the President's term was coming to an end, he was still enjoying solid, if unspectacular job approval and Onyx were still polling at around 16-18% of the national vote, a strong score for the incumbent party. President Canazarro had not stated if he was going to seek a second term but the buzz in Dhaka was that he would not and he would, instead, back Vice President Wren Dando (ONX) for the Presidency.

Species

Human

Year of Birth

2560 65 Years old

Birthplace

St. Lawrence

Aligned Organization

The Terran Republic

Other Affiliations

• Onyx