HistoryThe Republic of Baja California traces its history back to the Mexican Revolution of the 1910s when in 1912 a group of revolutionaries lead by the to-be founder of the Republic Fernando Pedro Tapia seized the population centers of Mexicali and Tijuana in the northern parts of the peninsula. Declaring their own revolutionary government with a liberal agenda they quickly went to secure the border to mainland Mexico by cutting off railways and bridges crossing the Colorado River. As the country was in turmoil this new republic was left largely uncontested with only irregular conflict along the new border while local Mexican governments and forces were dismantled throughout the peninsula.
The Republic of Baja California declared itself independent from Mexico in 1914 and signed its own constitution with Fernando Tapia sworn in as the country’s first president and the capital Mexicali renamed Tapia City in his honor. The new republic’s conflict with Mexico continued until 1918 when in the wake of the signing of the Constitution of Mexico the two nations agreed on a ceasefire as they both recovered from the revolution. It is generally thought today that the Bajan forces were receiving indirect support by the United States during the period, who were hoping to annex the peninsula.
During the 1920s the republic grew politically close with the United States through a series of trade deals concerning their rich mining operations in the south and through their military cooperation as the United States helped train and equip the Baja California Armed Forces as well as give the republic international recognition. A period of relative peace followed as the two countries grew closer but conflict would return to the republic in the mid 1940s. A group of militant revolutionaries calling themselves Ejército de Unificación Mexicano (EUM) who wished for the country to once again became part of Mexico grew more violent in the southern regions of the peninsula. A series of attacks on government officials during the period of 1949 to 1951 was the start of a bloody domestic conflict which saw the democratic values the country once had treasured to slide back in the face of danger and internal strife. The relationship to the United States also came under strain as political groups resenting the States’ influence upon the country started to grow in popularity and these two things came to a violent cumulation in 1967 when General Raul Arista lead a military coup which replaced much of the government and installed himself as president before severing most all political connections with the United States and reshaping the republic into a military dictatorship as he lead a series of ruthless attacks against the EUM and their sympathisers.
As tensions rose with the United States and the UN Arista turned to the USSR, fearing military action as had been tried in Cuba in 1961 and began to receive funding and aid to secure his hold on the nation’s military. In the wake of this more laws began to change towards a more communist spirit in accordance with the wishes of Arista’s benefactors and the Baja California Armed Forces were brought into the modern age with equipment and training provided to them from Cuba and the Soviet Union. In the wake of this Baja California grew to become a hotspot during the duration of the Cold War, a nation sharing a border with the United States with communist affiliations making it of interest to both world powers. Espionage became rife within the country and corruption become more commonplace within various levels of government as Arista balanced on a knife’s edge to not commit fully to the USSR to avoid military conflict with the United States while needing the communist support to stay in power.
During the following decades a number of politically charged incidents took place in the republic as a shadow war was waged on Californian soil regularly between the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1983 Raul Artista was assassinated by an unknown perpetrator, the identity of which remains a controversial subject to this day with the EUM, USA and Mexico all popular candidates. Arista was replaced by one of his lieutenant generals going by the name of Pedro Diaz Pezuela. Pezuela would prove to not have the political acumen of his predecessor and lacked popularity among the nation’s elite and the upper echelons of the international communist movement. What followed was a decade of rampant corruption and crime as the Pezuela regime proved unable to control its own people, most notably this is the period where the dominant cartels in Baja California trace their origins too. It was also during this period that a new group of democratically minded revolutionaries calling themselves Partido Demócrata Baja (PDB) started to grow in influence challenging the weakened hold the Pezuela regime had on the country.
Irregular violent conflict would grow to become the hallmark of Pezuela’s time in power and while generally considered incompetent it wasn’t until the wake of the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 that his grasp on power would weakened leading to him being deposed in 1992 by the PDB who then with the backing of the United States and other nations in the western world called for free elections. Pedro Pezuela was sentenced to death by the new government but infamously escaped by the aid of a large section of the former armed forces and vanished into the mountains of the south from where a militant faction calling themselves Ejército Nacional (EN) wage a guerilla war seeking to return the General to power.
Since 1992 Baja California has been in the slow process of becoming a truly democratic nation. Yet the government is considered weak in the face of the many violent factions that persists within the nation’s borders. Most famously to the world are the bombing that took place in Tapia City and Tijuana in 2007 said to have been the work of the EN, in the wake of which a UN Peacekeeping Force has been deployed in the two cities ever since. The relationship with the United States has become a closer one too since the revolution of 1992 and has seen to the training and equipping of the new Baja California Armed Forces and has joined with both the United States and Mexico in the War on Drugs to try and combat the activities of the cartels.
Since the mid 2000s parts of the northern peninsula and the mining operations in the south have been declared a special economic zone in an attempt to boost the nation’s economy and has seen a number of business conglomerates from around the world gather there due to the beneficial laws passed in regards to the area.
Present DayThe Republic of Baja California is generally considered an unstable nation and has the highest violent crime rate in North America. Several dangerous militant factions remain active in the country, attacks upon private and state interests occur on a weekly basis and there are regions where the government simply is not capable of enforcing the law.
In the south the Ejército de Unificación Mexicano remains active to this day, most often targeting the mining operations which is one of the nation’s main industries as they defy both the Baja Californian government as well as the foreign interests that has settled there in the wake of the area becoming a special economic zone. The La Paz cartel which is one of the two largest in the country also mainly operate in the south. It is also generally believed that the EN partially operates out of the mountain ranges in the south.
The majority of the population still lives in the northern parts of the peninsula and this is the main area for industry into Mexico and the United States. Tapia City remains the capital and largest city in the country and it is out of it that the Baja Cartel largely operates, having grown to rival their mexican counterparts in the drug trade into the United States.
In recent years a number of local towns has begun to create their own militias in either protest to local law enforcement or due to the lack of it. These armed groups have on several occasions come into conflict with both the cartels and governmental forces who are often viewed with suspicion as corruption remains a large problem in the country.
FactionsNational ForcesBaja Armed Forces (BAF)
BAF is the official military of the Republic of Baja California and saw reform in the wake of the 1992 revolution, they are under constant severe scrutiny by the goverment. The majority of the army is still equipped with Cold War-era soviet weaponry, with some of their special forces having been supplied with equipment by the United States.
Baja Special Police (BSP)
The BSP is a paramilitary law enforcement organisation which was created after the military was forbidden from acting against the civilian population after the 1992 revolution. Trained by US and Mexican law enforcement they are the Baja goverments main tool against the cartels.
Baja Police (BP)
The local police in Baja is known for its corruption, many of them on the books of the cartels, sympathizers with the EN or EUM. Generally poorly trained and equipped, with an exception generally believed to be the police departments in Tapia City and Tijuana.
Foreign ForcesMexican Naval Infantry Force
The infantry of the Mexican Navy has had a long history with Baja around the Gulf of California. Since 2010 they have on occasional been seen in Baja taking part in anti-cartel actions linked to both Baja and Mexico.
US Military
The United States military is officially present in Baja mainly to instruct during the reforms of their Armed Forces. On occasion they have been seen working together with Baja forces against the local rebel and criminal groups. It is confirmed the US Special Forces are present in Baja.
UN Peacekeeping Force
The UN have been present in Baja from 2007 when after a series of bombings and attacks in Tapia City and La Paz by the EN. The force today is said to be in the low hundreds and consists mainly of United States, United Kingdoms and Russian troops.camo
Irregular ForcesEjército de Unificación Mexicano (EUM)
The Mexican Unification Army is a rebel group in Baja which has a history back to the early 20th century. Mainly operating in the southern peninsula which is historically closer tied to Mexico than the north they have become known for attacks on the mining operations which are a big factor in the national economy. Rumors remain that they are supported by Mexican interests.
Ejército Nacional (EN)
The National Army is a rebel group which was formed when the military dictator Pedro Diaz Pezuela escaped execution after having been deposed in 1992. A section of the Baja Armed Forces defected with the General and have been trying to set up the circumstance for a return to power ever since. It is rumored the EN is supported by interests in Russia and Cuba.
Local Militia
Local communities have started to create their own militias to protect themselves as the violence in Baja continues. These groups are extremely varied in their equipment and goals but generally keeps a distrust for the state and have been known to attack police and other goverment officials who they deem corrupt.
IntelligenceSVR
It is generally believed SVR remain in Baja following their long history with the KGB, although now against the goverment's approval. Of interest due to their close proximity to the United States, it is a common conspiracy theory that the SVR are in contact with the National Army to overthrow the democratic goverment.
CIA
The CIA are known to be present in Baja as part of their work against the drug cartels. So far they have remained outside the eye of the public and little is known about their operations in the country.
CorporateThe Argo Corporation
Argo was drawn to Baja during the creation of the special economic zones in 2008 and has since then also expanded into mining operations in the south. Following attacks by the EN their security has been increased and it is believed they look to expand further.
Verified Security (VS)
A scecurity company centered around the Americas with Baja California as one of their main regions. Mainly consists of former military from Canada, Mexico and the United States.
CrimeBaja Cartel
The largest cartel in Baja it was founded in Tapia City in the 1990s following the death of Artista seizing initative during the unstable years following the dictator's death. Their operations include drug, arms and human trafficking as well as kidnapping and extortion and has expended into Mexico and the US. Currently lead by Carlos Martin Méndez.
La Paz Cartel
The second largest cartel in Baja, founded in La Paz in the 1990s. Set in the more sparsely populated southern part of Baja they are known for their smuggling into Mexico and the US via the sea. Their leader was killed last year and thus far it is unknown who leads the cartel now.