Working as a police officer in Mexico-Chapter 1648 - 753_2

Capítulo 1648: Chapter 753_2

He whispered softly, almost as if talking to himself, his voice so low it was barely audible:

“God… please guide your lost sheep…”

…

Victor leaned back on the leather sofa, holding a thick document in his hand.

This was the 1995 fiscal and economic performance report jointly submitted by the Treasury Department and the Statistics Bureau.

“Last year, our GDP growth rate was 4.7%.” Victor finally spoke, breaking the silence, his finger pointing to the first page of the report summary, “lower than the expected 6%. Especially in the fourth quarter, it was only 3.1%.”

Casare immediately picked up, his tone steady and clear: “Yes, boss. The pressure brought by the war has begun to show in the economic data. To support the front-line operations and equipment consumption, our military expenditure accounts for 31% of the total annual fiscal spending, which is an extremely heavy burden. At the same time, in order to maintain social stability and basic welfare, we can’t significantly cut livelihood expenditures. This has squeezed our investment in long-term sectors like infrastructure and technology research and development.”

He paused, flipping open his own copy, pointing to specific entries: “As you can see, there are clear signs of contraction in the domestic consumer market, especially in non-essential areas. The public’s savings rate is rising, and the consumer confidence index has declined for two consecutive quarters. Although we have controlled the inflation rate to within 5%, there is high pressure on the prices of basics, especially energy and some regulated food prices.”

The cost of war is all-encompassing, not just the blood on the front lines.

Casare shifted his tone slightly, a hint of excitement in his voice: “However, boss, great opportunities are also concealed within this crisis, even divine turning points. The most remarkable part of this report is the contribution of the new territories.”

He flipped to the later part of the report, “California and Texas, two of what were once the wealthiest states in the United States, after being brought under our actual jurisdiction, have begun providing us with immense momentum despite the brief chaos and adjustment. Their vast economic stocks and technological foundations are powerful injections.”

“Just based on preliminary data from the second half of 1995, the taxes paid by California and Texas, along with their own GDP growth, have increased our nominal GDP for the entire year of 1995 by nearly 18% compared to 1994! This completely offsets the impact of the domestic economic slowdown and achieves a substantial leap.”

He explained in detail: “Silicon Valley in California, despite some enterprises and talent loss, still maintains its core technological industry ecosystem. Through state capital involvement and preferential policies, we have stabilized most hardware manufacturing and some software firms, guiding their research directions towards our military and civilian needs. Texas’s petrochemical, aerospace, and agriculture sectors directly make up for our shortcomings in energy and high-end manufacturing. Especially Houston’s port and space center, which have seamlessly integrated into our logistics and research systems. It can be said that incorporating these two states has significantly raised our comprehensive national power, particularly in economic and technological strength.”

Victor nodded slightly, finally showing a barely noticeable trace of relaxation on his face.

Casare continued to report another highlight: “Additionally, our key investment in the Belize Special Economic Zone, especially its internet and high-tech industries, is developing very rapidly. Although its contribution to the national GDP isn’t particularly prominent currently, its growth rate and future potential are exceedingly impressive.”

Casare recounted enthusiastically, “For instance, ‘Maya Network’ focuses mainly on network equipment and data transmission solutions. Their router technology is reportedly more efficient than similar products in North America and has already secured orders from our military and several large enterprises. ‘Aztec Digital,’ a software company, has been promoting its office collaboration systems and encrypted communication software within the government. Then there’s ‘Guadalupe Technology,’ advancing quickly in optimizing and localizing personal computer production.”

He added: “More importantly, the capital market recognizes them. ‘Maya Network’ has already been listed on the Belize Stock Exchange, and its stock price soared by 150% on that day, greatly stimulating venture capital to flood into this emerging industry. We expect that by no later than next year, 1997, the scale of Belize’s internet industry will quadruple, spawning a batch of internationally competitive companies.”

At this point, Casare took out another beautifully bound report from his file bag, and handed it to Victor with both hands, his expression turning somewhat serious: “Boss, this is a medium to long-term economic analysis and policy recommendation report submitted by the ‘National Strategic Development and Planning Think Tank’. They have raised some concerns and suggestions about the current policies.”

Victor flipped it open for a quick perusal; the core viewpoints of the report were quite clear:

Although the war brought a short-term surge in economic data through the plunder of territories and resources, it is unsustainable in the long term.

The enormous military spending has squeezed out investments in livelihoods and reproduction; international sanctions and damaged reputation affect normal foreign trade and technology exchange; wartime economic controls distort market signals, lowering resource allocation efficiency; the integration and stabilization of newly occupied areas require continuous investment and come with repeated risks.

The report strongly recommends that the government should “consider the situation, seek political or diplomatic routes, and end large-scale military actions as soon as possible.

After a long moment, Victor looked up at Casare, “Casare, what do you think of this report? Do the think tank’s viewpoints make sense?”