Madrid, Spain, 16 December, 1940

José Díaz Ramos, General Secretary of the PCE, Chairman of the Revolution within the Worker's Front, and now, Presidente de la República, reflects that he's been picking up a lot of titles. He hopes he doesn't end up like Calles in Mexico. What, how many does that guy have... El Jefe Maximo, El Lider Supremo de los Mexicanos, El Antorcho de Democracia, El Matarador de los Pretendedores Habsburgos, El Presidente de los Proletarios, y el Secretario General de la Partido Socialisto Totalisto de Mexico, and that's just all the ones he could remember. He's a little nervous, but his stomach cancer hasn't been bothering him as much today, and he's been receiving treatment. He shakes hands with Manuel Azaña on stage, who pulls him in to whisper a word of advice:

"Hey, don't fuck this up, Red."

José Díaz coughs, makes a surprised noise, and watches Azaña as he exits stage right. He looks back stage left at Dolores Ibárurri, who gives him two thumbs up, and at Enrique Enrique, who is currently attempting to mix tequila with some horrible wine-adjacent concoction he got from some anarchist girl in the Blue Division, who also gives him two thumbs up. He looks back stage right, where Francisco Largo Caballero also gives him two thumbs up, and Manuel Azaña Diaz gives him a "get on with it" face.

He turns back to the crowd, laid out before him, and adjusts a Microphone.

"Salud, Camaradas!"

"This election has come at last after a time of reprisal and reconciliation. There are still differences we must overcome. There are still problems in our society which we must work past. But we are now infinitely closer to a better world than we were previously."

"The Egotists of the old aristocracy are at last, on the run. The people are far closer to their own rule than they were previously. Whether you are Castilan, Basque, Catalan, Galician, you are now closer to being the master of your own fate. This great revolution, this bloody civil war, have caused great destruction because the old order refused to give up its hooks. But it is also proof that your ideals can always be achieved, as long as you are always willing to fight for it!"

"It has been three years of struggle, before now, but finally a non-provisional government has been formed, however shakily, and however distrustful the two main factions are of one another. And now, rebuilding, which has before now been largely isolated to local efforts by garrisoned forces, can become a full, popular effort. Schools will be erected in the cities and countryside! Great stores of food will ensure that no parent or child or lonely drifter of the world will go hungry in Spain! Cold, hunger, we should strive to no longer commoditize these things! These are not things which should be coveted because you do not have them, but things which you have, are entitled to as a human being who deserves to live."

"Despite our differences, despite that struggle will always be ongoing until class is, once and for all, over, nobody desires another conflict. For now, we must all sigh in relief, and try to rebuild."

"Comrades, Proletarians, Republicans, I once again wish you health for all your days, and into the future. Spain has always been a sunny place, but it has never seen a dawn quite like this; Until now."

"Viva España Libre! Viva el Pueblo de Iberia! Muerte al Reaccionarios! We are the future, and we will never let the sun slip back below the horizon!"

José Díaz, El Presidente, stands at the podium, bathed in light, surrounded by microphones and cameras, as a captive audience gives him great applause. He looks back towards stage left, where Dolores and Enrique clap, albeit Enrique misses like half his claps because he's drunk. Jose Díaz worries about his liver sometimes. He looks to the right, where Largo Caballero is giving an excited, standing ovation, and Manuel Azaña, finding his speech acceptable, for now, nods, uncrossing his arms.

José Díaz has a headache. After the rest of the speeches and the afterparty, he is going to go to his lodgings, drink some water, and lie down. Hopefully, the rest of Spain is able to sleep as well as he will, tonight.