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President Miguel de la Madrid addressing a PRI Rally with his supporters.

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Mexico, a key economic and diplomatic partner with the United States followed a non-aligned agenda in regards to the Cold War.

However, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), dominated Mexican politics being the only party allowed since the 1930s. Although not under military rule, the PRI's influence impacted almost every institution.

The PRI Government which served as Centre-right established the Federal Security Directorate (DFS) which aimed in suppressing communist tendencies in Mexico to consolidate the PRI's power.

The DFS is responsible for Mexico's Dirty War committing widespread human rights abuses and later on colluding with the Guadalajara Cartel and the death of DEA Agent, Enrique "Kiki" Camarena.

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The Government of Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by Marxist guerrilla fighters led by Fidel Castro and Raul Castro.

The US aimed in removing Castro through several flawed assassination attempts. Such instances also include the Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961 and later on the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

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Several Marxist insurgencies including the ELN and FARC revolted against the conservative leaning government in Colombia.

The US supported Colombia by providing military, economic and intelligence aid to the Colombian Government.

Out of the conflict, the Drug War on Colombia also placed another faction between the Medellin and Cali Cartel.

Alvaro Uribe, President of Colombia from 2002-2010, a conservative authoritarian backed by the US would decimate the numbers of FARC and ELN personnel within Colombia.

Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia aimed in brokering peace in 2016, however, unsuccessful due to a referendum voting against the peace accords.

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The United States supported economically and militarily the military regime of Rafael Trujillo.

Trujillo, a staunch conservative military commander was known for persecuting opposition critics and committing a genocide against Haitians in the Dominican Republic.

Trujillo would foment Anti-Haitian sentiment within the Dominican Republic.

Trujillo was assassinated in 1961 prompting a Civil War to emerge later on in 1965 bringing US support amongst loyalist factions.

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General Alfredo Stroessner performing a military inspection.

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In 1954, General Alfredo Stroessner seized control of Paraguay through a military coup.

The US supported the military dictatorship of General Alfredo Stroessner in Paraguay to counter the spread of communism in the region.

In addition, the US provided military and economic aid, established a listening post for intelligence-gathering, beginning the foundations of Operation Condor.

However, the Stroessner regime was known for human rights abuses and corruption, leading to criticism of US policy in the region.

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Jacobo Arbenz delivering a speech in Antigua Guatemala.

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The United States supported Elfego Hernan Monzon Aguirre in removing the socialist elected president and reformer, Jacobo Arbenz.

Jacobo Arbenz proposed land reforms and socialistic ideals in the regime prompting fears that Guatemala would fall under a communist ideology.

The military regime succeeding would be responsibly for widespread human rights abuses including, disappearances, genocide, and torture.

This would eventually lead to the Guatemalan Civil War in 1960-1996.

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Brazilian Military patrolling the streets of Sao Paulo.

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The US was concerned about the spread of communism in Brazil, particularly after the Cuban Revolution. The US provided military aid to Brazil to help fight against left-wing guerrilla groups, and also supported anti-communist political forces in the country.

In 1964 to 1985, the US provided military and intelligence support to the government and training Brazilian security forces in counterinsurgency tactics. This support was controversial, however, due to the dictatorship's human rights abuses, including torture and disappearances of political dissidents.

The US aid was criticized by human rights groups and some politicians in the US and abroad, who argued that the US was supporting a repressive regime.

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Hugo Banzer Suarez, President of Bolivia and the military junta of Bolivia.

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In 1971, Hugo Banzer Suarez a Bolivian military officer seized power in a coup in 1971 and ruled as a dictator until 1978.

The US supported the Banzer regime through economic and military aid, as well as intelligence support. This would be part of Operation Condor.

The US believed that right-wing military regimes in Latin America were necessary to combat the spread of communism.

However, the Banzer regime was known for its authoritarian policies and human rights abuses, which were criticized by many human rights groups and politicians.

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President of Chile, General Augusto Pinochet and the military junta

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Chile under Augusto Pinochet

The US government took discrete actions to destabilize the socialist government of Salvador Allende in Chile in the 1970s. Such methods include funding opposition groups and applying economic pressure.

In 1973, General Pinochet led a coup against Allende's government with US backing, which established a dictatorship that lasted until 1990.

US involvement in the coup and the subsequent human rights abuses by the Pinochet regime have been widely criticized. Such as extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and torture.

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Juan Maria Bordaberry attending a military ceremony in Montevideo, Uruguay

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The Tupamaro Marxist insurgency kidnaps the UK Ambassador to Uruguay,  Geoffrey Jackson and later assassinates FBI CIA Agent, Dan Mitrione.

In retaliation, US would supports the rise of Uruguay's democratically elected conservative, Juan Maria Bordaberry. After Bordaberry's resignation, the military would have a more prominent impact on the presidency.

The Uruguayan military would play a heavy influence upon Uruguayan politics known as the Civic-Military Dictatorship era of Uruguay. It ultimately ended in 1985, after the downfall of General Gregorio Alvarez.

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Morales Bermudez delivering an address to the Peruvian military.

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The United States supported Military Dictator, Francisco Morales Bermudez financially and militarily against the Maoist "Shining Path" insurgency in Peru. Francisco Morales removed his leftist predecessor, Juan Velasco Alvarado, through a military coup with American support.

In result of such support, the military regime committed atrocities such as kidnapping and killing Argentine refugees in Lima in 1980.

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In 1976, General Jorge Rafael Videla took power through a military coup and engaged in a campaign of repression against left-wing activists, students and journalists. The regime carried out widespread human rights abuses, including torture, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.

The regime justified its actions as necessary to combat leftist extremism and protect national security. They would also censor the freedom of the press. This period was known as the "Dirty War"

The end of the "Dirty War" came about as a result of the regime's defeat in the Falklands War in 1982 and mounting international pressure for democratic reforms. In 1983, democratic elections were held and the military junta was forced to relinquish power.

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Daniel Ortega, pictured in a press conference in Managua, Nicaragua.

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In 1979, the Marxist Sandinista Liberation Front successfully overthrew the military government of the Somoza family. Daniel Ortega, leader of the Sandinistas would change the course of Nicaraguan politics prompting US intervention against government "Contrarevolucionarios" or "Contras".

Under the Reagan Presidency, the Iran-Contra Affair occurred where the US secretly sold arms to Iran using proceeds to fund the Contras in Nicaragua in hopes of toppling the Ortega regime.

In 1990 after years of economic and diplomatic pressure, the Sandinista regime would collapse prompting course towards a democratically favored government leaning to US interests.

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Salvadoran Military pictured above in the warfront in El Salvador.

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The US would support the Military Junta of El Salvador in 1979 providing economic and military aid. In result, Marxist revolutionaries of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) declared war against the Salvadoran Regime sparking a violent civil war.

In 1981 the military regime took role in the El Mozote massacre which killed over 800 civilians.

The Civil War would end in 1992 in the Chapultepec Accords brokered by Mexico.

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Manuel Noriega pictured above before and post Invasion of Panama.

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The United States would support the rise of military commander, Manuel Noriega, a staunch authoritarian. Who collaborated with the CIA against communism and the Drug War.

Noriega's regime is marked with scandals including money laundering, collusion with drug cartels such as the Medellin Cartel. In addition, the murder of Hugo Spadafora, an critic of the regime.

The US would later remove Noriega in the Invasion of Panama in 1989 for his ties with drug cartels.