A CUP OF TEA IN RIO

Whilst most of the media distract us with trips to the moon and distorted narratives about the war against Iran, Starmer and the government are making discreet moves. What could be brewing in the South Atlantic?

 

By Sir Charlattam 

I must say that I still retain the spirit of my younger days, as I can’t think of any other way to explain my urge to travel. In fact, I’ve heard rumours – or rather, information from a reliable source – claiming that ‘something is brewing in Brazil’ that links Britain – and possibly NATO – and has a lot to do with the current, appalling circumstances that Mr Netanyahu and his sidekick, Donald Trump, have got us into. I certainly take it seriously because I know very well where it comes from; the 11-hour flight is worth it and, besides (I must confess), I was in need of some tropical sunshine.

As soon as I came down the jet bridge at ‘Galeão’ airport, I could see plenty of plainclothes police discreetly stationed all over the place, but they certainly weren’t there for me, not at all. You might notice the same thing at Heathrow or JFK in New York. It’s surely down to the application of the same internal security protocol taught to them by the Americans and Israelis, the latter (according to my source) being very active throughout the River Plate basin, although the trip is for another matter.

In fact, according to my contact in Rio, MI6 agents have been arriving very discreetly over the past few months and, after lying low for quite some time, it seems they’ve been active for the last month or so, setting up a base of operations in the city and travelling south. As usual, and in keeping with my already wary distrust of mobile phone technology that spies on you even when switched off, I arranged a meeting the old-fashioned way with my old ‘Frenchy’ friend (a term of endearment), who, following his unannounced retirement from the DGSE a few decades ago, packed his bags and settled in this idyllic spot. 

Without specifying where, for obvious reasons, I met my old colleague in a luxurious restaurant with a priceless view where the sea and the mountains merge, and I invited him for a cup of tea.

There was no need for him to ask the absurd questions that the simpletons and amateurs in the disinformation media on the other side of the River Plate in Buenos Aires usually ask to make themselves look clever. And I speak specifically of them because all this fuss seems to have something to do with Argentina, and in particular with the South Atlantic and the sea passage to the Antarctic sea.

According to my friend, ever since these gentlemen arrived, there has been intense human and electronic activity directed towards the south. Some civilian and military flights carrying specialist British personnel from GCHAQ have been departing for Port Stanley in the South Atlantic islands, apparently without Buenos Aires’ knowledge. Of course, Lula da Silva’s government is aware of all this; perhaps not in great detail, but his Home Secretary and his operational chiefs at the Ministry of the Interior cannot be unaware of the activities of British personnel. A BRICS member like Brazil cooperating with the main enemies of this bloc? The reality is that this means nothing. It has nothing to do with the fact that Lula Da Silva and his PT party are left-wing, seeking equality through dubious and forced identity politics, or that they hold well-known and public anti-imperialist positions. All that is mere window dressing for ordinary citizens; the cruel reality is quite different.

Not only our brilliant politicians in Parliament, but what of our leaders such as Sir Keir Starmer – who could soon be ousted for a cover-up – his old mentor Jonathan Powell, or Secretary Ivette Cooper? They are as fickle as water. South Americans, and in this case Brazilians, are scandalously far more hypocritical and malleable than their European and American mentors.

According to my colleague, MI6’s main task would be to set up its own electronic intelligence operations programme to gather and collate information from all computer networks in the region, with a particular focus on those operating within the island territory – clearly involving Argentina and Chile, and thus the South Atlantic. At first, this didn’t strike me as anything new. I already knew that the Falkland Islands serve as a base for the strategic electronic intelligence network not only of Great Britain but of NATO as well, but what did pique my curiosity is the intensity with which they are operating in the region. I believe that, once again, this is an operation directed from Washington and delegated to London.

We were exchanging views and some data on the growth of naval activity by the Royal Navy and the RAF across the southern hemisphere, which is particularly curious given that one of the biggest problems for London at the moment is budgetary, and this hits the military sector directly. We face major dilemmas regarding personnel due to shortages, as well as individual issues with existing staff stemming from serious misconduct, compounded by constant reports of faults and breakdowns in the fleet’s ships and submarines (at least in the northern fleet), where many repairs have been put on hold due to a lack of funding.

According to rumours in Whitehall, on top of all this – and as a result of the aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran – there are restrictions on the use of fuel for ships and airborne units, except for those currently operating in the Gulf of Oman.

But for some mysterious reason, flights, ships and submarines travelling to and from Ascension, crossing the entire Atlantic and anchoring in Port Stanley and the surrounding archipelago, have their needs well catered for, and any technical or structural issues with a vessel are not affected by budgetary constraints here. As far as I know, there are no reports of fuel shortages for patrols and air-naval operations. I am not surprised that they refuel at Chilean ports such as Punta Arenas, nor, from what I can see, in Argentina. Some of the RFA TIDE-class logistics vessels are even available, ready for refuelling at sea. So, what could these plans be that are so important that the British South Atlantic fleet is being prepared? I do not believe this has anything to do with the joint exercises due to take place in a few days’ time.

I’ll say it again, gentlemen: I believe these British movements are not taking place without the Pentagon’s consent and are operationally subordinate to the US Southern Fleet Command. What would be interesting to know is: for what purpose?