These bases, which are staffed with a relatively small U.S. military presence and a larger contractor element drawn from the ranks of ex-patriot American and other military veterans who have lived in Latin America since the Contra war days, have the capability to ramp up military operations at short notice.

The Bush administration is trying to cobble together a Latin American "coalition of the willing" to take on progressive governments in Latin America, including those of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, Uruguay, Cuba whose ranks may swell in 2006 to include populist governments in Nicaragua, Peru, and Mexico. For that reason, the U.S. Southern Command is planning a saber-rattling military exercise in Paraguay in 2006 called "Fuerzas Comando 06." Although the Pentagon has invited some 20 Latin militaries to participate, Brazil's military chiefs see the United States as their primary security threat. The Brazilian military (as well as Venezuela's) is keeping a close eye on U.S. military activity in Guyana near the Brazilian border. Brazil's armed forces have also held a training exercise called Operation Jauru that was partly targeted against any future U.S. military incursions from Paraguay into Brazil, Bolivia, or Argentina. Brazil is coordinating with the militaries of its progressive neighbors to counter the U.S. military threat to Brazil and its neighbors.