Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has declared that weapons purchases by the Venezuelan government "could fuel an arms race in South America."The United States, as everyone knows, spends nearly as much money on weaponry as the rest of the world put together. The U.S. has also militarily intervened in sovereign Latin American nations repeatedly going back to the 19th century. The most recent major intervention by the US was the deposing and kidnapping of the democratically elected president of Haiti in 2004. In 2002 the US gave at least tacit support to an attempted military coup in Venezuela itself.
If there is ever an arms race in Latin America it will be in response to the only real military threat to that region: the United States of America. But so far there is no sign of anything like an arms race. All of Latin America (including the Caribbean) combined account for just 3% of the world's military spending, compared to over 40% by the US. This despite the fact that Latin America has a population of over 500 million, while the US is only slightly over 300 million!
History of U.S. Interventions in Latin America
[from: Marc Becker, see his website for sources]
| Location | Period | Type of Force | Comments on U.S. Role |
| Argentina | 1890 | Troops | Buenos Aires interests protected |
| Chile | 1891 | Troops | Marines clash with nationalist rebels |
| Haiti | 1891 | Troops | Black workers revolt on U.S.-claimed Navassa Island defeated |
| Nicaragua | 1894 | Troops | Month-long occupation of Bluefields |
| Panama | 1895 | Naval, troops | Marines land in Colombian province |
| Nicaragua | 1896 | Troops | Marines land in port of Corinto |
| Cuba | 1898- | Naval, troops | Seized from Spain, U.S. still holds Navy base at Guantanamo |
| Puerto Rico | 1898- | Naval, troops | Seized from Spain, occupation continues |
| Nicaragua | 1898 | Troops | Marines land at port of San Juan del Sur |
| Nicaragua | 1899 | Troops | Marines land at port of Bluefields |
| Honduras | 1903 | Troops | Marines intervene in revolution |
| Dominican Republic | 1903-04 | Troops | U.S. interests protected in Revolution |
| Cuba | 1906-09 | Troops | Marines land in democratic election |
| Nicaragua | 1907 | Troops | "Dollar Diplomacy" protectorate set up |
| Honduras | 1907 | Troops | Marines land during war with Nicaragua |
| Panama | 1908 | Troops | Marines intervene in election contest |
| Nicaragua | 1910 | Troops | Marines land in Bluefields and Corinto |
| Honduras | 1911 | Troops | U.S. interests protected in civil war |
| Cuba | 1912 | Troops | U.S. interests protected in Havana |
| Panama | 1912 | Troops | Marines land during heated election |
| Honduras | 1912 | Troops | Marines protect U.S. economic interests |
| Nicaragua | 1912-33 | Troops, bombing | 20-year occupation, fought guerrillas |
| Mexico | 1913 | Naval | Americans evacuated during revolution |
| Dominican Republic | 1914 | Naval | Fight with rebels over Santo Domingo |
| Mexico | 1914-18 | Naval, troops | Series of interventions against nationalists |
| Haiti | 1914-34 | Troops, bombing | 19-year occupation after revolts |
| Dominican Republic | 1916-24 | Troops | 8-year Marine occupation |
| Cuba | 1917-33 | Troops | Military occupation, economic protectorate |
| Panama | 1918-20 | Troops | "Police duty" during unrest after elections |
| Honduras | 1919 | Troops | Marines land during election campaign |
| Guatemala | 1920 | Troops | 2-week intervention against unionists |
| Costa Rica | 1921 | Troops | |
| Panama | 1921 | Troops | |
| Honduras | 1924-25 | Troops | Landed twice during election strife |
| Panama | 1925 | Troops | Marines suppress general strike |
| El Salvador | 1932 | Naval | Warships sent during Faribundo Marti revolt |
| Uruguay | 1947 | Nuclear threat | Bombers deployed as show of strength |
| Puerto Rico | 1950 | Command operation | Independence rebellion crushed in Ponce |
| Guatemala | 1954-? | Command operation, bombing, nuclear threat | CIA directs exile invasion and coup d'Etat after newly elected government nationalizes unused U.S.'s United Fruit Company lands; bombers based in Nicaragua; long-term result: 200,000 murdered |
| Panama | 1958 | Troops | Flag protests erupt into confrontation |
| Cuba | 1961 | Command operation | CIA-directed exile invasion fails |
| Cuba | 1962 | Nuclear threat, naval | Blockade during missile crisis; near-war with Soviet Union |
| Panama | 1964 | Troops | Panamanians shot for urging canal's return |
| Dominican Republic | 1965-66 | Troops, bombing | Marines land during election campaign |
| Guatemala | 1966-67 | Command operation | Green Berets intervene against rebels |
| Chile | 1973 | Command operation | CIA-backed coup ousts democratically elected Marxist president |
| El Salvador | 1981-92 | Command operation, troops | Advisors, overflights aid anti-rebel war, soldiers briefly involved in hostage clash; long-term result: 75,000 murdered and destruction of popular movement |
| Nicaragua | 1981-90 | Command operation, naval | CIA directs exile (Contra) invasions, plants harbor mines against revolution; result: 50,000 murdered |
| Honduras | 1982-90 | Troops | Maneuvers help build bases near borders |
| Grenada | 1983-84 | Troops, bombing | Invasion four years after revolution |
| Bolivia | 1987 | Troops | Army assists raids on cocaine region |
| Panama | 1989 | Troops, bombing | Nationalist government ousted by 27,000 soldiers, leaders arrested, 2000+ killed |
| Haiti | 1994-95 | Troops, naval | Blockade against military government; troops restore President Aristide to office three years after coup |
| Venezuela | 2002 | Command operation | Failed coup attempt to remove left-populist president Hugo Chavez |
| Haiti | 2004- | Troops | Removal of democratically elected President Aristide; troops occupy country |
[Note to President Obama: If you are still trying to figure out how to pay for universal health coverage -- look no further!!]
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