Ramos repeated himself. “Both of you are wrong. If, as you say, the Americans are destroying our boats and planes one by one, they are doing it because we allow them. We send the mules out alone, at night, so not to attract attention, but the very fact that they are alone in the open attracts the attention of their satellites and radars. We should husband our resources and send them in a wave, a convoy as they call it.”
“Yes, hiding in plain sight,” Ramirez added. “They cannot attack all our vessels at once, and there will be witnesses if they try.”
“Yes. Obtain lookouts with radios and cameras to report and record any activity, a minor overhead expense,” Ramos answered.
“A diversion….” Daniel said, thinking out loud.
Ramirez looked at him. “What are you talking about?”
Daniel walked to the window, the blue Caribbean radiant before him.
“A diversion, a military term. Ramos is right; if it is the Americans who are behind this, what do they fear the most? Instability. Their stock market gyrates at the slightest bit of bad news. We know they and NATO are here, and we need them to show their hand. Let’s give them instability.”
“What is your proposal?” Ramos asked.
“Let’s start a war with them.”
Ramirez studied Daniel, trying to read him. “How?”
“I do not propose full-scale war with the United States, which the Bolivarian Republic would lose, but we can tie them down with diversions, feints. Raul receives millions from us; he can mass forces near Guantanamo. The Russians will do anything we ask for cash; they can fly warplanes here tomorrow to collect it, and the Americans are powerless to stop them. And since we’ve lined the pockets of the generals here for years, they can rattle their sabers for us. The politicians can concoct some foolish slight to cause a diplomatic crisis. The Americans would then move their forces to send their signal.” Pointing to the sea, Daniel continued. “I want to see an American aircraft carrier right there.”
“And this saves our boats and planes?”
“Yes. The Americans will overreact as they always do. Their media will become breathless reporting on war clouds in South America, ¡ay, caramba! Their focus will be defending Guantanamo, Roosevelt Roads, and the canal. Go-fast boats with product will be small potatoes. They can’t be everywhere.”
Ramos was unconvinced.
“If the Americans want, they can shut us down, and we still don’t know what is happening out there. Yet you seek more attention, more forces from the Americans?”
“Yes, Ramos. Call their bluff.”