Rise of the Argentine Empire

"By the way, boss, are we still going fishing tomorrow?"

Boothston, holding a stack of documents and preparing to leave, turned back and asked.

"Of course, haha, change it to tomorrow night's ticket."

"Okay, boss."

After Boothston left the office, Saint Hesser slowly sat down.

It had been a while since he had seen Elena, and he planned to visit Bucha. The matter of the Uruguayan iron ore was not urgent.

He was determined to secure the iron ore in Uruguay. It was easier to mine than the Bolivian iron ore, and the mining costs, transportation conditions, and political stability could all be guaranteed. He would take it down no matter the cost.

The newly discovered iron ore is located in the Treinta y Tres Department, an eastern province of Uruguay. The capital, Treinta y Tres, is on the banks of the Olimar River, 240 kilometers southwest of Montevideo. The city is named in memory of the 33 patriots of the Uruguayan War of Independence.

This province is actually a very small place, roughly equivalent to the population of a town in Xinhua Xia in later generations. The entire province has only more than 20,000 people, with a slightly larger area, close to Brazil, with railways, close to Lake Merin, and close to the Atlantic Ocean. It can go to sea through the neighboring Rocha Province, or through Montevideo. If it goes through Rocha Province, new roads and ports need to be built.

The entire Eastern Republic of Uruguay also has very few people. Currently, the country has just over one million people, close to the three southern states of Brazil. Compared to the nearly ten million people in the three southern states, it is indeed pitifully small, and even if it develops to the 21st century, it will only be a little over three million.

The preliminary data from the original exploration of this iron ore was 200 million tons of reserves. Now the latest information shows that it may have 500 million tons, which deepens Saint Hesser's thoughts. This is the lifeline of the La Plata Steel Plant. Can it be taken away by the Americans? The Americans are so awesome, why don't they fight the Soviets?

This trip to Uruguay was not a whim. After so much preparation, the construction of the Blanca Port Industrial Zone has been on the right track. The people from the city hall, led by Otto, have begun to prepare the free port construction proposal. There is nothing specific to do recently.

Uruguay also wants to boost its economy. Perhaps we can make a fuss about this. The package of development plans in Xinhua Xia in later generations can be used directly. If the mining is exhausted, only one iron ore company will be enriched. If we want to do it, we have to make it bigger. This three-acre land at Uruguay's doorstep must not be given to the Americans. It's like a knife in the heart.

Of course, the most important thing is iron ore. He is too short of it. It is estimated that 200,000 tons of pig iron will be produced this month, which requires a lot of iron ore. Brazilian iron ore is close,

and it is the only option. Australian iron ore is still under exploration. Even if it is successfully mined, whether it is Brazilian or Australian iron ore, there will always be times when it cannot be relied upon. Mining Bolivian iron ore is a bit unrealistic. South African iron ore is owned by a British company and the price is not low.

Currently, the relationship between the Falcon Northwest Bureau and the Bolivian Presidential Palace is not as harmonious as before. Victor Paz, who became president, has nationalized all the country's minerals, including the property of Simon Itturi, the richest man in Latin America, which has been confiscated. It's just that he has been dead for several years.

It is not easy for Saint Hesser to intervene. Saint Hesser still admires Victor very much. He can launch land reform and nationalization. He has not done these things. The only pity is that Bolivia is indeed too difficult to develop. It is surrounded by a circle of poor countries, has no access to the sea, and its foundation is poor, which is more difficult than reaching the sky.

… …

The next day, Saint Hesser, Durant, a group of school teachers, several company heads stationed in Blanca Port, and a group of Radical Party members went fishing for leisure to Trinidad Island, which they had visited before. This time, instead of sailing boats, they directly rented a passenger ship.

There were more than fifty people in the group. Saint Hesser brought his own simple barbecue grill, and purchased beef, mutton, vegetables, chicken legs, chicken wings, corn and other barbecue necessities. Besides fishing, how can there be a lack of barbecue?

Staring at the industrial area, because the cafeteria was not done well, Saint Hesser could only eat something good on Sundays. There was no way. Working on the construction site was hard labor, and the meals were heavy on oil and salt. There couldn't be meat every meal. Saint Hesser, based on some experience from his previous life,

made some staple foods such as steamed buns and rice, as well as chili sauce, which were especially popular. Some of the newly arrived Qingyun Construction and other construction teams had many Chinese people, and they would specialize in these special dishes and run small construction site canteens. Saint Hesser directly promoted it,

Overall, it was not bad. He also ate here every day now, so he gained a little weight, but he also lacked exercise.

Saint Hesser didn't have to do hard labor, and he deliberately restrained his intake of oil and salt, but he was also afraid of getting high blood pressure if he ate too much. After all, working on the construction site, you don't have the strength if you don't eat a lot of oil and salt. People like him who just walk around and look around every day don't need to eat so much.

The passenger ship quickly docked at the wooden dock. Many people were already fishing in the fishing ground.

"Cohen, good to see you again."

Durant was wearing casual clothes and looked in a good mood, not as formally dressed as he had seen in the previous few times.

"Yes, how is the university doing recently?"

Saint Hesser asked Boothston and the others to prepare the barbecue grill, clean the ingredients, and prepare to start.

"It's not bad. We directly took down hundreds of acres of land around it. The construction engineering team has already started to move in and build the foundation."

"That's not bad. I'll have to trouble you with the cooperation with the Academy of Sciences. Maybe we'll have to rely on you in the future."

In addition to Saint Hesser's specific funding donations, the National Southern University also has cooperation project funds from several companies, and Durant can also recruit troops and buy horses on a large scale. Recently, even professors who are not from the University of Buenos Aires have come to apply for jobs.

Most of these people were fired by Bilon. Durant basically accepted everyone who came, quickly enriching the scientific research strength of Southern University. Currently, two teaching buildings are being built, and later dormitory buildings and large libraries are already being planned.

"No problem, I am also looking forward to such a big project."

"Another lettuce leaf, please."

Saint Hérissé pointed to the lettuce leaves next to him. Buston quickly handed them over and continued grilling the pork belly, handing it to Durant whenever he looked like he wanted to speak, directly feeding him non-stop.

"Buston, are you married? You seem to be getting on in years. Would you like to meet some female teachers? They are all young and quite pretty. I can introduce you..."

Durant looked at the young Buston and immediately shifted his target. Saint Hérissé breathed a slight sigh of relief and began to enjoy his own grilled pork belly in peace.

Saint Hérissé also had this idea in mind, to help these managers of his find partners. After all, the future of Argentina depended on them. The company's management was mostly in their late twenties, and they weren't in a hurry to get married, which wouldn't do. This fishing trip could also be considered a matchmaking event.

He had also discovered Durant's talent for this, which was why he had brought it up in passing.

He wanted to give birth to a new future for Argentina. Valley

He contentedly started grilling corn, brushing it with oil and turning it in one smooth motion. Barbecue was still much better than the food on the construction site, even though barbecue wasn't exactly healthy. Once in a while was still okay.

"It would be nice if there was some music."

The weather was pretty good today.

The air by the sea was also very good, with a slightly salty sea breeze.

The seawater was azure blue. Saint Hérissé noticed a warship in the distance, already somewhat dilapidated and even with peeling paint, slowly moving along. It was a medium-sized ship, not moving very fast, and the soldiers on deck could be seen.

Saint Hérissé glanced at it and didn't pay too much attention, watching the warship head out to sea.

"It seems the Brazilian Navy has already surpassed the Argentine Navy."

Argentina's finances were currently close to collapse, to the point where they didn't even have the money to apply rust-proofing paint.

This barbecue lasted from 10:30 AM to 4:00 or 5:00 PM, with other recreational activities such as fishing. Durant actually managed to bring together a few couples.

Saint Hérissé felt that the trip was worthwhile.

…

Around 5:00 PM in the evening, Saint Hérissé took his luggage and gifts,

and boarded the train to Bu City. This month, Blanca Port opened a passenger route to the north, with one train a day from Blanca Port to Rosario, passing through several city ports along the way. It departs every morning, and you can also charter a boat in the evening, but it's not very safe.

Recently, Prarie Shipping Company also plans to purchase some passenger ships and open some international routes, such as to Brazil, South Africa, Chile, and other places.

The diesel engine research and development of the Sanhai Shipyard is not impressive. Currently, it is only a large assembly plant. It has designed some medium-sized ships, but it is also cooperating with Spain.

This is also because Argentina doesn't have a very good shipbuilding foundation. The shipbuilding industry has been sluggish. In the past, it was always better to buy than to build. Currently, the level of cooperation with Spain is somewhat poor, and Saint Hérissé has no way to invest too much capital. Fortunately, the production of fishing boats can be self-sufficient, at least without losing money, which is a good thing. It's just that they're being kept afloat for now. The hope of building large ships may still be on the side of Blanca Port.

With sufficient security measures in place, no one with any sense would cause trouble. On Monday morning, he arrived at the Bu City train station. As soon as he got off the train, he saw people marching and striking, storming the train station. Saint Hérissé watched the scene unfold.

"Boss, I heard that there are also schools here planning to go on strike."

"It seems that the time left for them is not much."

Even the students were starting to become dissatisfied with Perón. It's a pity that even with someone like Perón, in the original timeline, they experienced even worse, and overthrowing Perón was not as good as they thought.

"That's right."

This was indeed letting things rot. Perón was actually doing quite well, but those military governments were simply like imbeciles, only knowing how to play with physical elimination.

Saint Hérissé met Ilena, whose belly was already showing. The two had a brief separation that felt like a honeymoon. They spent a pleasant morning together before leaving Bu City and heading to Montevideo.

"Cohen, how long are you going to rest on this trip to the East Bank?"

"Okay."

....

After having lunch with Ilena at noon, he didn't meet anyone else and hurriedly boarded a ship to Montevideo,

Montevideo, a high-rise building in the southern part of the city. In addition to being the Uruguay branch of the Falcon Agency, it is also the branch of Prarie International Company.

Montevideo, as the face of Uruguay, is very well-built, with high-rise buildings everywhere, and it is home to more than half of the country's population. It is very well-built.

The iron ore mining site is located in the Treinta y Tres Department in northeastern Uruguay, but to obtain a mining permit, it must be done in Montevideo, which, as the capital of Uruguay, is also the largest city, with a population of 700,000, which is quite a bit more than Córdoba.

This was also Saint Hérissé's first official visit to Uruguay. It was both strange and familiar to him. The investment and intelligence organization dispatched by Uruguay was larger than in any part of Argentina, and a specific division of investment was carried out.

Last year, the Uruguayan constitution changed the presidential system to a collective administrative system. The current president is Andrés Martínez.

"Andrew, any good news recently?"

Andrew sat in the chair in front, and Saint Hérissé sat leisurely in the recliner.

"Our company, Thunder Mining, is also here."

Saint Hérissé sent his trusted general to sit in charge, while also attaching importance to the situation in Uruguay.

"There is almost no good news. Very few things have been accomplished. Uruguay's conditions are better than Brazil's, but that neighbor..."

"Boss, this steel project is being sabotaged by the Americans and Brazilians. They don't want us to take this iron ore."

Andrew said the real reason.

"Damn it, the Americans don't lack iron ore. They also have a bunch of iron ore in Brazil. What's the background of this American Steel Company?"

Saint Hérissé said with some complaint.

"Boss, we carefully investigated this American Steel Company. It's not the big American steel company. It's just a group of American mining companies that have been formed. They don't have any iron smelting business."

Andrew carefully reported on the intelligence work this time, and Saint Hérissé was also listening carefully. This could be regarded as an expression of intent before interception.

"So the Brazilians are causing trouble. It seems they are too idle and have time to mess around in Uruguay."

"We have to clean up these people properly this time. They are greedy and insatiable."

Saint Hérissé knocked on the table and said fiercely. After dealing with the iron ore, he didn't know what the situation was in Blanca Port.