<p>International politics is complicated at times. The Agency was fighting them in San Esperito because Salvador Mendoza had hired the Black Hand for protection. It's not like the Black Hand would have just gone there just to fight the Agency who were there in secret. This like this just happen at times in reality too. </p><p>The Black Hand was never at Panau. </p>

• For example, in reality, the u.s. was secretly providing weapons to both sides during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. The u.s. was trying to be friends with both sides while making sure that neither side would win. It was also in the u.s. interests to see to it that those countries would kill eachother. It was a major scandal when the secret came out.
• Also in reality, the c.i.a. carried out numerous coups in south and central America throughout the cold war, often times supporting random dictators, only to stab them in the back afterwards. It was never about supporting democratic nations/regimes. It was always about supporting whoever was fighting communist rebels. Throughout the second half of the 20th century the u.s. had 2 rules for international politics: 1) The enemy of your enemy is your friend. 2) Whoever fights against the soviet union, or any communist rebels, must be supported.

<p>It could also be that the Black Hand just supports "the winning side." </p><p>It's not known whoever was in charge of the Black Hand in San Esperito, but Oscar Espinosa clearly was in cahoots with the Agency in Medici and obviously in Solís, so maybe the Black Hand just saw which side was "the winning side." </p><p>Alternatively, maybe the Agency just saw Rico as a rising threat and perhaps asked the Black Hand to "keep an eye on him." </p>

<p>While I could see the Agency stabbing Espinosa in the back in San Esperito, the problem is that Espinosa would have known that it was the Agency's doing. Per JC4's first cutscene, Espinosa already knew that 1)Rico overthrew Mendoza 2)while he was an Agency operative. So Espinosa knew the Agency had crossed him. </p><p>So Espinosa in 2006 finds out that the Black Hand that he sent to San Esperito have been killed/forced out by the Agency (or more precisely, Agency operative Rico). When the Mendoza regime falls, the Black Hand, the crown jewel of Espinosa's companies, suffers reputational damage because they were unable to keep Mendoza in power. Other dictatorships that had though about buying the Black Hand's security services turn instead to other PMCs with better success records. Espinosa loses out on the money those contracts would have provided. </p><p>But Espinosa has leverage over the Agency. If they do something that displeases him (like overthrowing a Black Hand-employing dictatorship), Espinosa could threaten to cancel the Storm Core's sale, or to sell it to China, Russia or whomever wants it. Given the enormous tactical advantage the Storm Core would provide, the Agency would have been foolish to overthrow Mendoza. It'd be choosing a new US-friendly regime in San Esperito at the cost of not getting a weapon that could bring even whole governments to their knees - a fool's bargin. </p>

<p>Therein lies another problem. </p><p>Oscar Espinosa was around when Miguel Rodriguez left Project Illapa in disgust, setting Project Illapa back 10 years. Oscar arranged for Sebastiano Di Ravello to kill the Rodriguez household, setting in motion the events of the Just Cause Game Series. By Solís, Rico has overthrown two dictators that both employed the Black Hand, so then why hasn't Oscar taken punitive action against the Agency then, according to your wording? </p><p>Also, *bargain. </p>

<p>I don't think the Black Hand necessarily knew that the Agency was fighting Mendoza when they were hired. Rico was doing some secret sabotage missions and supporting the guerrillas, but how would the Black Hand have known if it's the Agencys doing, or if it's just an ordinary civil war? </p>

<p>Uh...is the opening scene to Just Cause 4 going to be disregarded then? </p><p>Gabriela Morales literally stated that Rico assassinated their first employer back in San Esperito, Salvador Mendoza. </p>

<p>If the Black Hand really was the "world's best private army", they must have had an intelligence branch that collected and analyzed information about, at the very least, the countries that they operate in, and any threats within their clients' territories. In the opening scene in JC4, the Black Hand had deduced that Tom Sheldon had been Rico's handler during events in San Esperito/Medici. If they could have figured that out, then it's highly likely that they could have figured out that the Agency had been behind these regime change operations. </p><p>Also, why did Espinosa even agree to sell Illapa? He's aleady rich. Why not just keep it for himself, make sure nothing threatens his rule of Solis? </p>

<p>The <strike>Back</strike> Black Hand really might not have known about the Agency being at San Esperito until they already arrived and met Rico in action. They were only introduced as "the world's best private army" in Medici, several years later. Perhaps they were not yet as good with their intelligence back then? It is also possible that they identified Rico and Tom only after having investigated who they were fighting against. </p><p>The Agency was not behind the Medici regime change. In fact, the Agency were Di Ravello's friends at first. And also, in Medici, the Black Hand do not shoot at Rico on sight. In certain areas of the eDEN Airship and some spots in the countryside, it's even possible to hang out with them completely peacefully. </p><p>I can't explain Oscar. He was a complete idiot. Selling the technology to some other super-villain would only give him a single 1 time payment, but if he'd advertise it publicly, he could rent its use to a lot of nations to improve agriculture and forest growth in Africa and to grow some jungles in the middle of Australia. Most countries who'd need this technology are not known for their wealth, but in the long term it would be worth a lot more money. Not to mention that he'd still be the only one controlling it. </p><p>Admin action: Fixed some spelling </p>

<p>Also, in a JC4 loading screen it states the Agency and the Black Hand with Oscar have a truce, albeit mistrusting one. </p><p>This also means that the Black Hand are allies with the Agency and probably America. </p>