MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Venezuela main purchaser of weapons in 2012, but Brazil has largest defence budget
The defence industry is booming in Latin America amid economic growth and greater concerns regarding national security, said the renowned security and defence consultancy firm IHS Jane's. Imports of weapons soared 16% in the subcontinent in 2008-2012, climbing from 3.42 billion to 3.96 billion dollars annually, the firm said in a report called “The Balance of Trade.” Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesVenezuela. Plenty or weapons, but nothing to wipe their backsides with! Some it up really, but at least they have the “motherland”
Jun 26th, 2013 - 10:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0This must be false as we all know that South America is a region of peace and bla bla bla.
Jun 27th, 2013 - 02:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0Everybody remember this article? http://en.mercopress.com/2013/06/21/uk-consolidates-its-position-as-world-s-second-defense-exporter-after-the-us
Jun 27th, 2013 - 09:50 am - Link - Report abuse 0It's the one where Twinky referred to Britain as a “merchant of death” and Marcos mentioned “warmongers Bruts”. So who are the merchants of death and warmongers now, girls?
Perhaps it is only to protect the national food and toilet paper reserves.
Jun 27th, 2013 - 10:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0Seriously, this is a concern. I never had concern or alarm of Brazil, but venezuela in cohoots with bolivia and argentina and the later endlessly ranting about the Falklands belong to argentina......I can see them attempting something stupid considering their economy is in the was shit hole of the past glorious decade of chubby chavo. I'd be watching them with a red dot on their forehead and my finger on the trigger. I don't trust any of those lying, stealing pigs of the bolivarian communists bloc.
Venezuela the only country with an app to find toilet paper
Jun 27th, 2013 - 05:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/10112604/Venezuelans-use-smartphone-app-to-find-toilet-paper.html
After “electing” the bus driver it seems to me the Venezuelans need an app to find their brains because the evidence suggests they have all lost theirs.
Jun 27th, 2013 - 07:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0But don't worry about the Ruskie planes, good as they are, they need PILOTS to fly them and TECHNICIANS to maintain them. Ah! I think there might be a problem here!
As one of my best friends in Uruguay said about the local 'mechanics' “we have some good mechanics here Chris: they have to be because the majority of the cars are shit”.
Perhaps TMBOA can convince the bus driver to take on the Falklands for her, ha, ha, ha. The US would just LOVE that.
Poor Hugo, all those shiny new toys and he never got to bomb anyone.
Jun 28th, 2013 - 06:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0@4 Captain Poppy
Jun 28th, 2013 - 06:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I wouldn't worry too much about an Alliance between Argentina, Venezuela and Bolivia. They'd spend too much time arguing and stabbing each other in the back to be of any danger to anyone.
Besides, if they did try to attack the Falklands, and one assumes that they'd have to rely on the Venezuelan navy to do it as Argentina's navy is finished, they'll have a lot of water to negotiate to get there.
Water that may or may not have a nuclear powered submarine tooling around.
Also, given the advanced notification of Venezuela's navy sailing would allow the British to reinforce the garrison on the Falklands with extra aircraft, anti-aircraft defences, and land forces, as well as a Type 45 destroyer or 2 being sent to the area.
It's a pipe dream that they believe that they can 'play' on the same level as the 'big' boys. They'll end up scraping their knees and running back to mummy.
No the biggest danger these people pose are to the rest of South America. Guyana is a Commonwealth nation, and as such would be protected by the British and other Commonwealth nations, should the others be stupid enough to try a land grab.
It's Paraguay that is most vulnerable, but even so, I think that any attack on Paraguay would immediately bring the UN into play, and the deployment of peace enforcing troops, again probably from the UK or USA.
In fact, it would in Paraguay's interest to start making alliances or their own, with Chile, Peru and Columbia...oh wait they are. :)
Civil wars and 11 coups since 1945!
Jun 28th, 2013 - 07:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0All that expensive kit to fight themselves , because they sure as shit have no experience of fighting anyone else!
Joking aside, we do need to keep a watchful eye on this. When every other option has failed, can we seriously rule out another attempt to take the islands by force on the part of Argentina, this time with Venezuelan assistance and possibly others.
Jul 01st, 2013 - 01:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I am sure that the Ministry of Defence has contemplated and factored in this scenario.
My guess would be that the Falkland Islands are rather better fortified than any of us actually know. I doubt there would be the dog fights we saw in 1982, more unmanned attack drones and precision guided missile strikes. I bet St Helena is rammed with some tasty kit.
Given the dire state of the Argie military, the only way they could threaten the FA was by getting others to do the dirty work. Venezuela's Air force and Marine forces would be a threat. However with the Chav gone I suspect the political will would not be there. Also it would have been rather difficult to hide the movement of the equipment needed. Why do you think Colombia wants closer ties to NATO? The recent referendum has really gotten the Argies worried. The more lies they tell, the more they are exposed. Let alone claiming the migratory route of birds has some bearing on sovereignty. Funny how the Trolls seem to be ignoring this story. Next time the Argies claim we are militarizing the region, everyone direct them to this story: ”Brazil has the largest defence budget with 30.6bn (US) dollars in 2012, which is three times more than Colombia’s 12.9bn and more than five fold Mexico’s 5.8bn and Venezuela’s 5.5bn.” Plus details I've found: Argentina's Defense budget 5.0bn and Falklands Defense budget 0.7bn VERY Interesting Numbers.
Jul 01st, 2013 - 09:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Video evidence of the sort of violence the ordinary car owners are subject to.
Jul 02nd, 2013 - 01:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0CAUTION: do NOT watch it if you are squemish -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ2IzMaqZTA
If on the other hand you live in The Dark Country, there is at least ONE policeman who knows what to do with attempted robberies while he is plain clothes shopping. Watch and enjoy, again, unless you are squeamish -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ2IzMaqZTA
I think this guy should be promoted to Security Minister: at least he knows what to do.
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