Sánchez evasion

The **Sánchez evasion** was an attempted illegal immigration into Hasbana by the Sánchez family of Espatan, Perrennia.

# Background

## Sánchez family

### Darrel Sánchez

**Darrel Marques Sánchez** (November 1, 1947 - July 3, 1984) was a destitute Perrennial banana farmer. After being left his parents' farm upon their death when he was 17, Sánchez got right to work taking legal ownership of the farm, harvesting crops, and starting a family. Darrel had never attended public school and was considered to be intellectually challenged.

Nevertheless many in his town would later comment on his kindness and sincerity. For most of his life he was considered a model citizen.

### Alicia Sánchez

**Alicia Marie Marrow-Sánchez** (April 25, 1948 - July 3, 1984) was a Perrennial school teacher. She also grew up from a local poor farming family, however her family scrounged enough to afford her public school. She often offered tutoring to peers for money. She met Darrel at age 16 while on a grocery run in the village center. Alicia attempted to tutor him for a time before giving up. Nonetheless the two had fallen in love and married in 1968.

In 1970 Alicia got a job as an English teacher in the village school.

### Fernando Sánchez

**Fernando Joshua Sánchez** (September 14, 1969 - July 3, 1984) was the eldest child and only son of Darrel and Alicia Sánchez. He was a known community prankster, and the liveliest of the family. Fernando received schooling from his mother and often helped his father on the family farm.

### Margo Sánchez

**Margo Haley Sánchez** (February 28, 1971 - July 3, 1984) was the youngest child and only daughter of Darrel and Alicia Sánchez. Margo was known around town as a quiet child and had few friends. It would later be revealed that she chose to be mute to attempt to repress/hide her Tourette's Syndrome. Like her brother, she was taught by her mother and often helped around the family farm.

## Drought and debt

In 1983 a drought hit the community of Espatan and surrounding area. Many fell destitute over this time and overall banana exports declined. The Sánchezes, who owned a rather small farm, were heavily affected by this natural disaster.

Early June of 1984 brought bad news to the family; due to not meeting crop quotas in the prior two harvest seasons they had racked up tens of thousands of real in debt. Government debt in the People's Commonwealth of Perrennia was an offense punishable by death depending on the severity. Tensions rose among the family and they decided to flee the nation.

# Evasion

## Initial escape

At approximately 9:00 pm on Sunday, July 1, 1984, the family left home. They had planned to leave in the morning, however thunderstorms rolled in and the family figured it would be better to leave under the cover of darkness. The family left on foot, so as not to be easily traced.

Darrel had told a few close friends beforehand about his plans to leave. Unfortunately, on July 1st, Martin Harrule was also interrogated by local authorities for debt charges and let it slip that the Sánchezes were planning to escape. Police arrived at the Sánchez home a little over an hour after they left and found the place abandoned. A search warrant was put out for the family at a little before 11:00pm.

Word reached the district government sometime after midnight.

Upon reaching Cabana, the family walked along the Transnational Railroad. It is estimated they entered Hasbana at 1:30 in the morning, stopping to sleep only once they were sure that they had crossed the border.

## Morning of the 2nd

Awaking at the crack of dawn after sleeping on the side of the tracks, the family headed for Gueza.

Search parties started around 3 am that morning. Word spread incredibly fast, eventually reaching head Perrennial crime authorities. At 7 am a search helicopter was launched. Upon not finding the Sánchezes within the nation, at around 10 am, Perrennial authorities asked Hasbana for permission to send a police search team into their territory. Perrennial authorities kept the wording of their warrant appeal vague. Hasbana reluctantly agreed.

Meanwhile, the Sánchez family had managed to reach the Perrennial embassy in Hasbana and pleaded with officials there. Embassy officials were manged to be swayed by the families cries of help and pleas to remain in the nation. They did, however contact Gueza city police and notify them of the situation.

## Standoff

Around 2 pm, the Perrennial search team in Hasbana received word that the family had been located. The team requested the backup of the Perrenial military and attempted to storm the embassy, however they were met with equal amount of force by the Hasbin military who had heard the unfolding story (which at this point had become international news) and were ordered to protect the family. The standoff lasted five and a quarter hours before Perrennial forces retreated after having been fired at, killing an officer. The Sánchezes were then quickly made accommodated in a nearby hotel until relations could be sorted out between the Perrennial and Hasbin governments.

## Komresti Hotel break-in

A little after midnight, Perrennial military snuck back into Hasbana with orders to infiltrate the Komresti Hotel of Gueza and retrieve the family. Three armed men broke into the hotel through a window, and when the family resisted arrest, opened fire on all four of them. Darrel, Alicia, and Fernando were killed instantly. Miraculously, Margo survived the initial shooting, but would die of her injuries in the hospital four hours later.

Hasbin police were contacted as soon as gunfire was heard in the hotel. The Perrennial military group fled back to Perrennia, escaping capture. Margo was rushed to the hospital, where she a gave a deathbed testimony to police.

# Response

## Perrennial

Many in Perrennia were angered by the deaths of the Sánchezes. Riots and acts of domestic terrorism ensued. The Sánchez evasion is considered to be the inciting incident of the Perrennial Revolution.

## Hasbin

On July 5, 1984, then Hasbin president Harold Marche declared war on Perrennia. Though no Hasbin troops ever entered Perrennia (mostly due to a reluctance to drain national funds on such a conflict and the war declaration receiving mixed reception by the public), Hasbana's government did provide Perrennial freedom fighters with weapons and other supplies, as well as their full sympathies to the people.

## Other

The Komresti Hotels brand renamed their location in Gueza to the *"Margo Sánchez Memorial Hotel"* on the first anniversary of the shooting.