US Raids Venezuela, Threatens Latin America: Can Colombia, Cuba & Mexico Defend Against Washington’s Might? | World News

New Delhi: Over the weekend, the United States launched a major military offensive against Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. The operation led to a dramatic increase in tensions between Washington and regional governments.

President Donald Trump on Monday ratcheted up tensions by threatening military action against Colombia, Cuba and Mexico if their governments do not “act together,” citing the fight against drug trafficking and protecting American interests in the Western Hemisphere.

The statements highlight long-running friction between the United States and its southern neighbors. While many governments in the region have little appetite for American intervention, their militaries are ill-equipped to resist U.S. pressure.

Latin America’s Military Power

The United States is the undisputed global military superpower. By 2025, Washington’s defense budget reached $895 billion, or roughly 3.1% of GDP. This is more than the combined military spending of the next 10 largest countries.

Brazil tops the lists with the strongest armed forces in Latin America and is ranked 11th worldwide in the 2025 Global Firepower rankings. It is followed by Mexico at 32nd, Colombia at 46th, Venezuela at 50th and Cuba at 67th.

By all traditional measures (active personnel, fighter jets, tanks, naval assets, and military budgets) these countries are far behind the United States. In a direct conflict with standard weapons, the United States would maintain overwhelming superiority.

The only significant advantage these nations have lies in their paramilitary forces, which operate alongside conventional armies and can use unconventional tactics against more conventional armies.

Paramilitary Forces in Latin America

Latin America has a long history of paramilitary groups playing important roles in internal security. These groups are generally armed, organized, politically influential, and operate outside the official military chain of command.

Cuba has the world’s third-largest paramilitary force, with more than 1.14 million members, according to Global Firepower. These include state-controlled militias and neighborhood defense committees; the largest of these, the Territorial Troops Militia, acts as a civilian reserve force to assist the military during crises or external threats.

In Venezuela, armed civilian groups known as colectivos act with the tolerance of the state, especially during the Maduro government, to maintain political control and intimidate the opposition.

Colombia’s paramilitary groups first emerged in the 1980s to fight leftist rebels. Although many officially disbanded in the 2000s, some returned as new paramilitary or criminal groups and remained active in rural areas. The first groups were organized during the Cold War with the contributions of the Colombian army and US counterinsurgency advisors.

In Mexico, drug cartels operate as powerful paramilitary forces. Groups such as the Zetas, originally founded by former soldiers, use military-grade weapons and control territories, often in defiance of the state. The Mexican military has increasingly been deployed in law enforcement duties in response.

The World’s Largest Paramilitary Forces

Latin American countries have some of the largest paramilitary forces in the world. Cuba’s paramilitary force is massive, with more than 1.14 million members, including state-controlled militias and neighborhood defense committees. Venezuela follows with about 220,000 armed civilian members, primarily from collectivos that supported the government during the unrest.

Colombia’s paramilitary groups have approximately 150,000 members who, although formally demobilized, still operate as neo-paramilitary organizations in rural areas. Mexico’s paramilitary-style forces, largely made up of drug cartels like the Zetas, also number about 120,000 people equipped with military-grade weapons.

To put this in perspective, countries like Bangladesh and India have the largest paramilitary forces globally, with 6.8 million and 2.5 million members respectively. There are approximately 200,000 in Brazil, 220,000 in Iran, and 250,000 to 500,000 in countries such as Russia, China and Pakistan.

Latin American paramilitaries, although smaller than those in Asia, are still important, especially for their ability to operate alongside or outside conventional military structures.

History of US Intervention

The United States has a long history of meddling in Latin America. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, dubbed the Banana Wars, American troops were deployed to Central America to protect corporate interests.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt tried to turn the tide with his 1934 ‘Good Neighbor Policy’, pledging non-intervention. During the Cold War, the United States funded efforts to overthrow elected governments, mostly carried out by the CIA, which was established in 1947.

Washington formally invaded Panama in 1989 under President George HW Bush during ‘Operation Just Cause’, which aimed to remove President Manuel Noriega, who was later convicted of drug trafficking and other crimes.