Supporters of the separation of California from the US is preparing to make a second attempt to raise the issue of the independence of the state to a referendum. Moreover, the members of the movement, apparently, to maintain contact with Russia.
California attorney General in late July gave the leaders of the separatist movement, called Celexa, permission to begin collecting signatures in support of removal of a question on the independence referendum at the state level in 2018. This decision marked the revival of Calexico: the first attempt of the movement failed in the spring of this year, when it became widely known that a prominent figure in the movement, Louis Marinelli, the head of an organization called YesCalifornia — lives in Russia and supports close ties with the organization funded by the Kremlin. Amid the scandal Marinelli announced he was leaving as leader YesCalifornia.
But now, apparently, he again received a place in the organization. Marinelli, now living in Yekaterinburg, quietly returned to YesCalifornia in July, becoming a regular member of the Board of the organization.
In April of this Chapter YesCalifornia Marcus Ruiz Evans said that the decision Marinelli to move to Russia will end its membership in the organization.
But then Evans changed his mind. He said EurasiaNet.org e-mail that his decision to make Marinelli back was due to the preparedness to stay in the background. “Mention of Luis will not appear on the page YesCalifornia, it will not influence policy formulation, and we’re not going to mention anything associated with Russia,” wrote Evans.
A native of new York Marinelli said that moved to Russia in part because rental housing in California was too expensive.
In 2016 Marinelli acted as representative of the movement for the secession of California to the conference “Dialogue of Nations” in Moscow, organized by the anti-Globalization movement of Russia (ADR). The financing activities were carried out mainly due to the substantial sums allocated by the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised leader of the ADR Alexander ionov for his “work on the strengthening of friendship between peoples.”
The conference in 2016, also attended the separatists of Spain and Italy, but the separatists from Russia itself was not.
Evidence of direct financing by the Kremlin initiative Callexit or similar attempts in the United States. But the Kremlin-backed ADR supports Americans who hold separatist views. For example, in December last year, Marinelli opened the first “Embassy of the independent California” abroad, which is located in the Moscow office donated by the ADRs. ADRs are also reported to have helped to cover the cost of the visit to Moscow on the above conference of a number of separatists from Texas.
Members of the movement Calexit needs to collect more than 500 thousand signatures, to the question of the independence of California was included in the ballots at the election in 2018. Even if they succeed, the chance to tear off a state of the United States is practically zero. First and foremost, the U.S. Supreme court ruled that unilateral secession of a state from the state contrary to the Constitution. Thus, to provide a legitimate way out of California or any other state, will require amendments to the basic law of the country.
But even if the members of the movement of Celexa will not be able to collect the required number of signatures, they, consciously or unconsciously, can help advance one of the main priorities of Russian foreign policy is to sow discord and try to undermine Western democratic system.
