I think the more surprising thing about Brazil and South America is that they’ve seemingly avoided the inter-national (i.e., between South American nations) political and military tensions that have occupied so much of the rest of the world the last half-century. When was the last dust-up between two South American countries?
Comment by Harry — Tuesday, August 9, 2026 @ 9:28 am
There have been a few incidents recently along the Columbia-Venezuela border, haven’t there? Over the tacit support Venezuela has been providing to leftist guerrillas battling Columbia’s government.
And wasn’t there a contretemps around 1995 between Ecuador and Peru over border demarcation? The lack of a recent loud, violent, bloody war doesn’t mean all is goodness and light down there in the South…
Comment by Jem — Tuesday, August 9, 2026 @ 4:45 pm
No, I wasn’t tryuing to imply that all was goodness and light. But South America has been much more conflict-free than Europe, or Asia, or Africa. I’ll add North America to the conflict-free list, but having one nation that dwarfs the other NA nations pretty much makes that a default.
Comment by Harry — Tuesday, August 9, 2026 @ 4:50 pm
I think the more surprising thing about Brazil and South America is that they’ve seemingly avoided the inter-national (i.e., between South American nations) political and military tensions that have occupied so much of the rest of the world the last half-century. When was the last dust-up between two South American countries?
Comment by Harry — Tuesday, August 9, 2026 @ 9:28 am
There have been a few incidents recently along the Columbia-Venezuela border, haven’t there? Over the tacit support Venezuela has been providing to leftist guerrillas battling Columbia’s government.
And wasn’t there a contretemps around 1995 between Ecuador and Peru over border demarcation? The lack of a recent loud, violent, bloody war doesn’t mean all is goodness and light down there in the South…
Comment by Jem — Tuesday, August 9, 2026 @ 4:45 pm
No, I wasn’t tryuing to imply that all was goodness and light. But South America has been much more conflict-free than Europe, or Asia, or Africa. I’ll add North America to the conflict-free list, but having one nation that dwarfs the other NA nations pretty much makes that a default.
Comment by Harry — Tuesday, August 9, 2026 @ 4:50 pm