Rio Times
Latin America Defense Monitor — June 2–6, 2026
IBOV
169,019
▼ 0.77%
IPSA
10,273
▼ 0.30%
IPC MEX
66,141
▼ 1.86%
MERVAL
3,084,617
▼ 2.83%
COLCAP
2,192.97
▼ 1.58%
BVL PERÚ
34,937.73
▲ 0.29%
USD/BRL
5.17
▲ 2.10%
USD/MXN
17.46
▲ 1.02%
USD/CLP
912.70
▲ 1.95%
USD/COP
3,594
▲ 0.54%
USD/PEN
3.47
▲ 1.97%
USD/ARS
1,441
▲ 0.24%
USD/UYU
40.26
▲ 1.12%
USD/PYG
6,083
▲ 1.29%
USD/BOB
6.85
▲ 1.30%
USD/DOP
58.21
▲ 0.88%
USD/CRC
458.41
▲ 2.84%
USD/GTQ
7.62
▲ 2.25%
USD/HNL
26.64
▲ 0.41%
USD/NIO
36.62
▲ 0.77%
USD/VES
566.26
▲ 0.65%
USD/PAB
1.00
▲ 2.28%
USD/BZD
2.00
▲ 1.70%
USD/JMD
156.98
▲ 0.27%
USD/TTD
6.66
▲ 0.35%
EUR/BRL
5.96
▲ 1.14%
BRENT
93.09
▼ 2.04%
WTI
90.54
▼ 2.69%
IRON ORE
161.91
— —
COPPER
6.29
▼ 3.47%
GOLD
4,365
▼ 2.47%
SILVER
69.10
▼ 6.34%
SOY
1,122
▼ 0.71%
CORN
417.50
▼ 1.65%
WHEAT
580.00
▼ 0.30%
COFFEE
246.65
▼ 0.20%
SUGAR
14.12
▼ 1.05%
ORANGE JUICE
159.20
▼ 5.46%
COTTON
77.28
▲ 3.19%
COCOA
3,823
▼ 3.58%
BEEF
241.65
▼ 3.02%
CATTLE
353.90
▲ 0.15%
LITHIUM
78.30
▼ 5.98%
PETR4
40.89
▼ 0.87%
VALE3
78.70
▼ 3.78%
ITUB4
38.83
▲ 0.28%
BBDC4
17.47
▲ 0.58%
ABEV3
16.17
▲ 0.62%
BBAS3
19.17
▼ 1.84%
B3SA3
15.41
▼ 0.71%
WEGE3
42.46
▲ 1.63%
PRIO3
61.12
▼ 2.35%
SUZB3
41.74
▲ 1.26%
RENT3
40.58
▲ 0.35%
AZZA3
17.13
▼ 1.44%
CSAN3
3.59
▲ 0.28%
RAIZ4
0.40
▲ 2.56%
PCAR3
1.68
▲ 9.09%
GMAT3
4.08
▼ 2.86%
PSSA3
47.81
▼ 0.73%
CVCB3
1.45
▼ 2.03%
POSI3
3.66
▼ 2.40%
SLCE3
14.81
▼ 1.13%
NATU3
9.72
▼ 0.82%
BRKM5
8.78
▼ 6.89%
RANI3
7.85
▼ 0.63%
CSNA3
6.00
▼ 10.18%
CMIN3
4.37
▼ 2.89%
USIM5
11.31
▼ 1.31%
GGBR4
23.48
▼ 2.69%
ENEV3
23.89
▼ 1.40%
NEOE3
33.80
— 0.00%
CPFE3
42.69
▼ 1.41%
CMIG4
10.88
▲ 0.18%
EQTL3
38.91
▼ 2.26%
LREN3
14.89
▲ 1.71%
VIVT3
32.95
▼ 2.37%
RAIL3
13.94
▲ 0.36%
KLABIN
17.05
▲ 1.73%
RAIA DROGASIL
17.46
▼ 0.29%
RDOR3
32.76
▼ 1.06%
HAPV3
10.94
▼ 2.50%
FLRY3
14.75
▲ 0.34%
SMTO3
16.88
▼ 2.43%
UGPA3
24.96
▲ 0.16%
VBBR3
28.89
▼ 2.00%
BBSE3
35.39
▲ 1.00%
BPAC11
50.65
▼ 0.12%
CURY3
28.70
▼ 2.55%
AERI3
2.34
▲ 1.30%
VIVARA
20.42
▼ 0.39%
COMPASS
25.50
▼ 1.12%
VAMOS
2.95
▲ 0.34%
SANB11
26.73
▲ 0.04%
ASAI3
8.62
▼ 1.93%
SBSP3
27.34
▲ 0.40%
WALMEX
51.11
▼ 0.74%
GMEXICO
202.25
▼ 4.26%
FEMSA
214.10
▲ 1.26%
CEMEX
21.71
▼ 3.25%
GFNORTE
177.08
▼ 1.34%
BIMBO
55.78
▼ 2.31%
TELEVISA
9.21
▼ 1.29%
AMX
21.68
▼ 0.82%
GAP
398.75
▼ 3.47%
ASUR
282.14
▼ 3.64%
OMA
211.83
▼ 1.64%
KOF
185.04
▲ 0.27%
GRUMA
288.01
▼ 0.97%
KIMBER
36.92
▼ 1.91%
SQM-B
69,340
▼ 0.45%
COPEC
6,105
▼ 0.16%
BSANTANDER
68.70
▲ 0.87%
FALABELLA
5,511
▼ 1.13%
ENELAM
75.35
▼ 1.58%
CENCOSUD
2,110
▼ 2.31%
CMPC
1,040
▼ 0.95%
BANCO CHILE
165.21
▼ 0.18%
LATAM AIR
22.12
▼ 0.63%
YPF
81,075
▼ 3.31%
GGAL
7,215
▼ 1.70%
PAMPA
4,940
▼ 3.80%
TXAR
686.50
▼ 1.86%
ALUAR
976.00
▼ 3.27%
TGS
8,935
▼ 3.35%
CEPU
2,226
▼ 2.24%
MIRGOR
16,425
▼ 3.38%
COME
44.51
▼ 5.92%
LOMA NEGRA
3,360
▼ 2.82%
BYMA
288.00
▼ 1.87%
TELECOM ARG
3,983
▼ 0.81%
ECOPETROL
15.15
▼ 3.13%
BANCOLOMBIA
70.88
▼ 2.00%
GRUPO AVAL
4.80
▼ 2.04%
CREDICORP
322.50
▼ 1.23%
SOUTHERN COPPER
172.97
▼ 10.88%
BUENAVENTURA
30.26
▼ 11.70%
MERCADOLIBRE
1,608
▼ 1.65%
NUBANK
11.97
▼ 1.24%
XP
15.34
▼ 1.92%
PAGSEGURO
8.53
▼ 3.18%
STONE
10.40
▼ 3.35%
GLOBANT
38.30
▼ 3.23%
TECNOGLASS
42.35
▼ 0.91%
GAP AIRPORT
228.80
▼ 4.52%
ASUR
282.14
▼ 3.64%
OMA AIRPORT
97.01
▼ 2.76%
AMX ADR
24.84
▼ 1.97%
FEMSA ADR
122.88
▲ 0.29%
CEMEX ADR
12.48
▼ 3.55%
PETROBRAS ADR
17.75
▼ 1.72%
VALE ADR
15.23
▼ 3.42%
ITAU ADR
7.54
▼ 1.31%
SANTANDER BR
5.24
▼ 2.15%
AMBEV ADR
3.12
▲ 0.32%
CSN
1.18
▼ 9.23%
GERDAU
4.59
▼ 2.55%
LATAM ADR
48.32
▼ 2.80%
BTC
60,636
▼ 0.47%
ETH
1,555
▼ 1.65%
SOL
61.61
▼ 2.96%
XRP
1.09
▼ 0.23%
BNB
573.50
▲ 0.24%
ADA
0.16
▲ 1.00%
DOGE
0.08
— 0.00%
AVAX
6.65
▼ 0.86%
LINK
7.34
▼ 0.16%
DOT
0.94
▼ 0.71%
LTC
42.27
▼ 2.25%
BCH
217.35
▲ 3.79%
TRX
0.32
▲ 0.17%
XLM
0.20
▼ 0.21%
HBAR
0.08
▼ 2.17%
NEAR
1.86
▼ 4.98%
ATOM
1.62
▼ 1.56%
AAVE
59.98
▼ 3.60%
SELIC
14.50%
—
EMBRAER
72.33
▲ 3.82%
EMBRAER ADR
56.68
▲ 0.30%
JBS
12.24
▲ 0.25%
JBS BDR
62.50
▲ 4.34%
MBRF3
15.76
▼ 0.13%
MBRFY
3.09
▼ 2.22%
INTER
5.67
▼ 1.56%
EGX
52,653
▲ 0.17%
USD/ZAR
16.55
▲ 1.63%
USD/NGN
1,359
▲ 0.05%
NIKKEI
66,588
▼ 1.31%
CSI300
4,817
▼ 1.79%
HSI
24,962
▼ 1.15%
NIFTY
23,367
▼ 0.21%
KOSPI
8,161
▼ 5.54%
JCI
5,595
▼ 4.20%
USD/JPY
160.29
▲ 0.21%
USD/CNY
6.7660
▼ 0.10%
DAX
24,759
▼ 0.75%
CAC
8,218
▼ 0.32%
FTSE
10,368
▲ 0.07%
MIB
49,893
▼ 0.56%
IBEX
18,345
▲ 0.38%
STOXX
622.66
▼ 0.29%
EUR/USD
1.1527
▼ 0.80%
GBP/USD
1.3336
▼ 0.69%
SPX
7,384
▼ 2.64%
DJI
50,867
▼ 1.35%
NDX
28,958
▼ 4.77%
RUT
2,834
▼ 3.47%
TSX
34,413
▼ 2.28%
VIX
21.51
▲ 39.68%
USD/CAD
1.3933
▲ 0.22%
US10Y
4.5360
▲ 1.32%
IBOV
169,019
▼ 0.77%
IPSA
10,273
▼ 0.30%
IPC MEX
66,141
▼ 1.86%
MERVAL
3,084,617
▼ 2.83%
COLCAP
2,192.97
▼ 1.58%
BVL PERÚ
34,937.73
▲ 0.29%
USD/BRL
5.17
▲ 2.10%
USD/MXN
17.46
▲ 1.02%
USD/CLP
912.70
▲ 1.95%
USD/COP
3,594
▲ 0.54%
USD/PEN
3.47
▲ 1.97%
USD/ARS
1,441
▲ 0.24%
USD/UYU
40.26
▲ 1.12%
USD/PYG
6,083
▲ 1.29%
USD/BOB
6.85
▲ 1.30%
USD/DOP
58.21
▲ 0.88%
USD/CRC
458.41
▲ 2.84%
USD/GTQ
7.62
▲ 2.25%
USD/HNL
26.64
▲ 0.41%
USD/NIO
36.62
▲ 0.77%
USD/VES
566.26
▲ 0.65%
USD/PAB
1.00
▲ 2.28%
USD/BZD
2.00
▲ 1.70%
USD/JMD
156.98
▲ 0.27%
USD/TTD
6.66
▲ 0.35%
EUR/BRL
5.96
▲ 1.14%
BRENT
93.09
▼ 2.04%
WTI
90.54
▼ 2.69%
IRON ORE
161.91
— —
COPPER
6.29
▼ 3.47%
GOLD
4,365
▼ 2.47%
SILVER
69.10
▼ 6.34%
SOY
1,122
▼ 0.71%
CORN
417.50
▼ 1.65%
WHEAT
580.00
▼ 0.30%
COFFEE
246.65
▼ 0.20%
SUGAR
14.12
▼ 1.05%
ORANGE JUICE
159.20
▼ 5.46%
COTTON
77.28
▲ 3.19%
COCOA
3,823
▼ 3.58%
BEEF
241.65
▼ 3.02%
CATTLE
353.90
▲ 0.15%
LITHIUM
78.30
▼ 5.98%
PETR4
40.89
▼ 0.87%
VALE3
78.70
▼ 3.78%
ITUB4
38.83
▲ 0.28%
BBDC4
17.47
▲ 0.58%
ABEV3
16.17
▲ 0.62%
BBAS3
19.17
▼ 1.84%
B3SA3
15.41
▼ 0.71%
WEGE3
42.46
▲ 1.63%
PRIO3
61.12
▼ 2.35%
SUZB3
41.74
▲ 1.26%
RENT3
40.58
▲ 0.35%
AZZA3
17.13
▼ 1.44%
CSAN3
3.59
▲ 0.28%
RAIZ4
0.40
▲ 2.56%
PCAR3
1.68
▲ 9.09%
GMAT3
4.08
▼ 2.86%
PSSA3
47.81
▼ 0.73%
CVCB3
1.45
▼ 2.03%
POSI3
3.66
▼ 2.40%
SLCE3
14.81
▼ 1.13%
NATU3
9.72
▼ 0.82%
BRKM5
8.78
▼ 6.89%
RANI3
7.85
▼ 0.63%
CSNA3
6.00
▼ 10.18%
CMIN3
4.37
▼ 2.89%
USIM5
11.31
▼ 1.31%
GGBR4
23.48
▼ 2.69%
ENEV3
23.89
▼ 1.40%
NEOE3
33.80
— 0.00%
CPFE3
42.69
▼ 1.41%
CMIG4
10.88
▲ 0.18%
EQTL3
38.91
▼ 2.26%
LREN3
14.89
▲ 1.71%
VIVT3
32.95
▼ 2.37%
RAIL3
13.94
▲ 0.36%
KLABIN
17.05
▲ 1.73%
RAIA DROGASIL
17.46
▼ 0.29%
RDOR3
32.76
▼ 1.06%
HAPV3
10.94
▼ 2.50%
FLRY3
14.75
▲ 0.34%
SMTO3
16.88
▼ 2.43%
UGPA3
24.96
▲ 0.16%
VBBR3
28.89
▼ 2.00%
BBSE3
35.39
▲ 1.00%
BPAC11
50.65
▼ 0.12%
CURY3
28.70
▼ 2.55%
AERI3
2.34
▲ 1.30%
VIVARA
20.42
▼ 0.39%
COMPASS
25.50
▼ 1.12%
VAMOS
2.95
▲ 0.34%
SANB11
26.73
▲ 0.04%
ASAI3
8.62
▼ 1.93%
SBSP3
27.34
▲ 0.40%
WALMEX
51.11
▼ 0.74%
GMEXICO
202.25
▼ 4.26%
FEMSA
214.10
▲ 1.26%
CEMEX
21.71
▼ 3.25%
GFNORTE
177.08
▼ 1.34%
BIMBO
55.78
▼ 2.31%
TELEVISA
9.21
▼ 1.29%
AMX
21.68
▼ 0.82%
GAP
398.75
▼ 3.47%
ASUR
282.14
▼ 3.64%
OMA
211.83
▼ 1.64%
KOF
185.04
▲ 0.27%
GRUMA
288.01
▼ 0.97%
KIMBER
36.92
▼ 1.91%
SQM-B
69,340
▼ 0.45%
COPEC
6,105
▼ 0.16%
BSANTANDER
68.70
▲ 0.87%
FALABELLA
5,511
▼ 1.13%
ENELAM
75.35
▼ 1.58%
CENCOSUD
2,110
▼ 2.31%
CMPC
1,040
▼ 0.95%
BANCO CHILE
165.21
▼ 0.18%
LATAM AIR
22.12
▼ 0.63%
YPF
81,075
▼ 3.31%
GGAL
7,215
▼ 1.70%
PAMPA
4,940
▼ 3.80%
TXAR
686.50
▼ 1.86%
ALUAR
976.00
▼ 3.27%
TGS
8,935
▼ 3.35%
CEPU
2,226
▼ 2.24%
MIRGOR
16,425
▼ 3.38%
COME
44.51
▼ 5.92%
LOMA NEGRA
3,360
▼ 2.82%
BYMA
288.00
▼ 1.87%
TELECOM ARG
3,983
▼ 0.81%
ECOPETROL
15.15
▼ 3.13%
BANCOLOMBIA
70.88
▼ 2.00%
GRUPO AVAL
4.80
▼ 2.04%
CREDICORP
322.50
▼ 1.23%
SOUTHERN COPPER
172.97
▼ 10.88%
BUENAVENTURA
30.26
▼ 11.70%
MERCADOLIBRE
1,608
▼ 1.65%
NUBANK
11.97
▼ 1.24%
XP
15.34
▼ 1.92%
PAGSEGURO
8.53
▼ 3.18%
STONE
10.40
▼ 3.35%
GLOBANT
38.30
▼ 3.23%
TECNOGLASS
42.35
▼ 0.91%
GAP AIRPORT
228.80
▼ 4.52%
ASUR
282.14
▼ 3.64%
OMA AIRPORT
97.01
▼ 2.76%
AMX ADR
24.84
▼ 1.97%
FEMSA ADR
122.88
▲ 0.29%
CEMEX ADR
12.48
▼ 3.55%
PETROBRAS ADR
17.75
▼ 1.72%
VALE ADR
15.23
▼ 3.42%
ITAU ADR
7.54
▼ 1.31%
SANTANDER BR
5.24
▼ 2.15%
AMBEV ADR
3.12
▲ 0.32%
CSN
1.18
▼ 9.23%
GERDAU
4.59
▼ 2.55%
LATAM ADR
48.32
▼ 2.80%
BTC
60,636
▼ 0.47%
ETH
1,555
▼ 1.65%
SOL
61.61
▼ 2.96%
XRP
1.09
▼ 0.23%
BNB
573.50
▲ 0.24%
ADA
0.16
▲ 1.00%
DOGE
0.08
— 0.00%
AVAX
6.65
▼ 0.86%
LINK
7.34
▼ 0.16%
DOT
0.94
▼ 0.71%
LTC
42.27
▼ 2.25%
BCH
217.35
▲ 3.79%
TRX
0.32
▲ 0.17%
XLM
0.20
▼ 0.21%
HBAR
0.08
▼ 2.17%
NEAR
1.86
▼ 4.98%
ATOM
1.62
▼ 1.56%
AAVE
59.98
▼ 3.60%
SELIC
14.50%
—
EMBRAER
72.33
▲ 3.82%
EMBRAER ADR
56.68
▲ 0.30%
JBS
12.24
▲ 0.25%
JBS BDR
62.50
▲ 4.34%
MBRF3
15.76
▼ 0.13%
MBRFY
3.09
▼ 2.22%
INTER
5.67
▼ 1.56%
EGX
52,653
▲ 0.17%
USD/ZAR
16.55
▲ 1.63%
USD/NGN
1,359
▲ 0.05%
NIKKEI
66,588
▼ 1.31%
CSI300
4,817
▼ 1.79%
HSI
24,962
▼ 1.15%
NIFTY
23,367
▼ 0.21%
KOSPI
8,161
▼ 5.54%
JCI
5,595
▼ 4.20%
USD/JPY
160.29
▲ 0.21%
USD/CNY
6.7660
▼ 0.10%
DAX
24,759
▼ 0.75%
CAC
8,218
▼ 0.32%
FTSE
10,368
▲ 0.07%
MIB
49,893
▼ 0.56%
IBEX
18,345
▲ 0.38%
STOXX
622.66
▼ 0.29%
EUR/USD
1.1527
▼ 0.80%
GBP/USD
1.3336
▼ 0.69%
SPX
7,384
▼ 2.64%
DJI
50,867
▼ 1.35%
NDX
28,958
▼ 4.77%
RUT
2,834
▼ 3.47%
TSX
34,413
▼ 2.28%
VIX
21.51
▲ 39.68%
USD/CAD
1.3933
▲ 0.22%
US10Y
4.5360
▲ 1.32%
Saturday, June 6, 2026 · Issue #13
A quick weekend check-in on the military and security stories moving across Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Short Version
This is a short weekend update covering June 2–6, in between our regular weekly issues. Three stories stand out.
01
Guatemala is at the center of a reported deal to let US forces help strike drug cartels — though Guatemala City denies it. Reports say operations could begin in June, while Guatemala insists it only asked for help with operations its own forces would lead.
02
Bolivia’s defense minister resigned on June 2 as weeks of road blockades and protests wore on. President Rodrigo Paz swore in a replacement the next day and sent Congress a new bill to give the armed forces more power against the blockades.
03
The US kept tightening the screws on Cuba with sanctions and a Navy presence offshore. But analysts point to a big gap in the plan: there is still no clear idea of who would lead Cuba next if the government fell.
What’s new since last issue: Bolivia’s push for more military powers has now cost a cabinet minister his job and produced a second, more detailed bill. The US anti-cartel campaign has also spread from South America into Central America — Guatemala is now named, and Honduras is reportedly next.
RTAsk Rio TimesHave a question about Brazil or Latin America? Get a straight answer from our reporting.Start asking →
▦
At a Glance — This Week’s Moves
Six countries, one card each. Green means a step forward in capability or enforcement; burgundy flags a risk to watch.
GuatemalaRisk
The move
Reported US deal to help strike cartels on Guatemalan soil
Who’s involved
US War Department / Southern Command
Where it stands
Reported, then denied by Guatemala City
Watch for
Do strikes actually start in June?
BoliviaRisk
The move
Defense minister quits; a second military-powers bill is sent
Who’s involved
Domestic — the Paz government and Congress
Where it stands
Bill sent to Congress on June 3
Watch for
Will a state of exception be declared?
CubaRisk
The move
US pressure deepens; 240+ new sanctions
Who’s involved
US Southern Command / Treasury
Where it stands
USS Nimitz carrier group still holding offshore
Watch for
Who would lead Cuba next?
HondurasPolicy
The move
Reported US pressure to join anti-cartel operations
Who’s involved
US War Department
Where it stands
Under pressure, no decision yet
Watch for
How the government responds
ArgentinaEnforcement
The move
Coast guard chases off an illegal Chinese fishing boat
Who’s involved
China’s distant-water fishing fleet
Where it stands
Intercepted around May 31
Watch for
Will Argentina try to seize the boat?
BrazilProcurement
The move
Clears red tape to buy heavy US supply trucks
Who’s involved
US sale / Oshkosh Defense
Where it stands
Paperwork finished
Watch for
The final contract value
Sources: Infodefense, Defense.com, Zona Militar, Zona Defense, The New York Times, Infobae, AFP, EFE, France 24, La Nacion, La Tercera, El Colombiano, Emisoras Unidas, Expansion, and argentina.gob.ar.
⇆
What Changed Since Last Issue
Where each thread stood in Issue #12, and where it stands now.
Bolivia’s military powers
Then
A new law removed the cap on using the military
Now
Defense minister resigned; a second bill was sent
Source
AFP, France 24
US anti-cartel campaign
Then
Active in Venezuela, Cuba and Ecuador
Now
Reaches Guatemala (reported); Honduras pressured
Source
The New York Times, Infobae
Cuba pressure campaign
Then
Biggest US force build-up outside the Middle East
Now
240+ sanctions; the “who leads next” gap is flagged
Source
France 24, Axios
Argentina’s sea patrols
Then
A new patrol-plane deal was in the works
Now
Coast guard intercepts a Chinese squid boat
Source
Infodefense, Argentine coast guard
Brazil’s army trucks
Then
Not yet on our radar
Now
Heavy supply-truck purchase clears red tape
Source
Infodefense, Brazilian Army Bulletin
01
Buying & Building
It was a quiet few days for big purchases, which is normal for a short weekend issue. Brazil cleared paperwork to buy heavy US supply trucks, and Chile’s air force floated a plan to streamline pilot training.
Med
Early June · Brazil
Brazil clears the way to buy heavy US supply trucks
Brazil’s Army has finished the paperwork to buy HEMTT trucks — big eight-wheeled vehicles that haul fuel, parts, and recovery gear for armored units. The trucks, made by Oshkosh and used widely across NATO armies, will support Brazil’s Guarani armored vehicle fleet.
The purchase fills a long-standing gap. Until now, those units lacked the heavy supply backbone needed to keep operating far from base — especially across the Amazon and Pantanal frontiers.
Low
Early June · Chile
Chile’s air force looks to combine its pilot-training programs
Chile’s air force chief, General Arturo Merino, says the service may bring its tactical-flight and light-attack training together at a single base. The goal is to simplify how pilots train before they join the combat fleet.
It would group aircraft like the A-29 Super Tucano and A-36 Toqui under one roof, cutting costs and standardizing the path. The plan fits Chile’s wider modernization, and follows the first time a Chilean tanker refueled US aircraft in mid-air, back in April.
02
On the Ground & At Sea
Two operations defined the period. Bolivia’s police and military reopened blocked roads to La Paz, and Argentina’s coast guard chased an illegal Chinese fishing boat out of its waters.
High
June 3–5 · Bolivia
Police and troops reopen a key bridge and the road to La Paz
On June 3, a combined force of 500 police and 500 soldiers reopened the Parotani bridge near Quillacollo. That reconnected Cochabamba to markets in Oruro and La Paz after a damaging blockade.
On June 5, they cleared another route south of La Paz to get food moving again to the capital and nearby El Alto. Both cities had faced more than a month of shortages.
The human cost has been heavy. Government figures say seven people died for lack of timely medical care, and the wider toll is put at ten.
Prices of meat and some vegetables doubled in La Paz markets, and the city organized open-air chicken sales as residents queued from midday. The Beni and Pando regions remain under a declared humanitarian emergency.
Med
Around May 31 · Argentina
Argentina’s coast guard chases an illegal Chinese fishing boat out of its waters
An Argentine coast guard cutter, the Mantilla, pursued a Chinese-flagged boat fishing illegally inside Argentina’s offshore waters off Patagonia’s Golfo San Jorge. The boat had switched off its satellite tracking — a classic sign it should not have been there.
The chase follows tougher new rules that let radar evidence count more heavily when fining offenders. China’s distant squid-fishing fleet is the main pressure on these waters, and the reason Argentina is buying new patrol planes.
03
Policy & Politics
This is where the biggest moves happened. The US anti-cartel campaign pushed into Central America, Bolivia’s crisis cost its defense minister, and the Cuba pressure campaign drew its first serious critique.
High
May 28 onward · Guatemala / United States
A reported US–Guatemala deal to strike cartels — and Guatemala City’s denial
The New York Times reported on May 28 that Guatemala had agreed to joint anti-cartel operations with the US on Guatemalan soil, citing three people familiar with the talks. President Bernardo Arevalo reportedly accepted “air strikes and other military actions” on a May 19 call with US War Secretary Pete Hegseth, with operations possibly starting in June.
The report framed it as part of a wider US military push in the region, and as a way to pressure Mexico — described as the real goal. Guatemala pushed back the same day.
The government denied approving any foreign military operations on its territory. But it confirmed asking the US to “cooperate in operations led by Guatemalan security forces” against drug traffickers, and that Arevalo and Hegseth spoke on May 19.
The Pentagon would not confirm any future operations, but noted Guatemala belongs to Trump’s 18-country “Shield of the Americas” security group. At a June cabinet meeting, Hegseth said the US is “going to war against the cartels.”
If the operations go ahead, Guatemala would be the second country in the region — after Ecuador — to allow joint US military action against criminal groups inside its borders.
High
June 2–3 · Bolivia
Bolivia’s defense minister resigns; Paz sends a new military-powers bill
Defense Minister Mauricio Salinas resigned on June 2, under heavy pressure over the protest crisis that has gripped Bolivia since May 1. President Rodrigo Paz swore in Ernesto Justiniano as the new minister on June 3.
The same day, Paz sent Congress a new bill to set rules for declaring a state of exception and to “strengthen” the armed forces against the blockades. It is separate from last issue’s law: that one lifted the cap on using the military, while this one lays out how a state of exception would actually work.
Paz said the bill is written “under the logic of humanitarian action” to avoid “arbitrary interpretations,” and he has not ruled out declaring a state of exception soon. He still framed the government as open to talks: “We do not raise our hand to strike, but rather extend it for dialogue.”
High
June 2 · Cuba
US pressure on Cuba deepens — but the “what next” question hangs
A June 2 France 24 analysis put its finger on the weak spot in the US pressure campaign on Cuba, which the White House calls “accelerationism.” The approach copies the Venezuela playbook — an indictment (of Raul Castro, May 20), an economic squeeze (240+ new sanctions and an oil cutoff), and a Navy deployment (the USS Nimitz in the Caribbean).
But two things make Cuba different. There is no obvious person lined up to lead the country if the government fell, and a 1962 US law (Helms-Burton) bars the president from normalizing relations by decree — even as a carrot.
Economists at CEPR warn the sanctions are already costing children’s lives, and that more pressure could spark a wave of migration in June and July as blackouts and summer heat peak. Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned that an intervention would cause “a bloodbath.”
No military operation has been announced. The things to watch are clear: the Nimitz’s movements, any Senate vote, more legal action, and any incident at sea.
04
The Big Powers
Outside powers stayed mostly on the sidelines. The US drove events, China showed up only as the target of Argentina’s coast guard, and Russia and South Korea did nothing reportable in the five-day window.
United States
Pushing into Central America
The US extended its anti-cartel campaign to Guatemala (reported), pressured Honduras, and kept Mexico as the strategic target. It also deepened pressure on Cuba with 240+ sanctions and the USS Nimitz offshore, and threw new support behind Bolivia’s government.
China
The target, not the player
No port calls, no arms sales, no military meetings. China’s only footprint was its distant fishing fleet — one boat of which Argentina’s coast guard intercepted.
Russia
Quiet again
No new arms deals, training agreements, or reported weapons shipments to Venezuela, Cuba, or Nicaragua. Its continued silence while its old ally Cuba is under maximum US pressure is itself the story.
South Korea
Nothing new
No new contracts or deliveries this period. Its FA-50 pitch in Peru and tank offers in Brazil are still in talks, with no fresh milestone.
✦
What to Watch — June 7–13
Throughout
Guatemala — do the joint US anti-cartel operations actually start? The Times placed possible action “next month,” and any first strike or signed agreement would make Guatemala the second country after Ecuador to allow it.
Early week
Bolivia — how Congress handles the new state-of-exception bill, and whether Paz declares one. The new defense minister’s first moves will show if the government shifts from clearing roads to a tougher crackdown.
Throughout
Cuba — the risk of a migration surge, and any move by the Nimitz. CEPR flags June–July as the danger window as blackouts and heat build, so any ship movement or sea incident is the key warning sign.
Mid-week
Honduras and Mexico — how they respond to US pressure. Whether Honduras follows Guatemala’s path, and whether Mexico’s Sheinbaum holds her sovereignty line, will shape what comes next.
Jun 28–Jul 12
Chile — Salitre 2026, a big multinational air exercise at Antofagasta. Build-up will be visible in the second week of June, with Chile’s new F-39E jets the thing to watch.
?
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Guatemala agree to joint US military strikes against cartels?
The New York Times reported on May 28, 2026 that President Bernardo Arevalo accepted “air strikes and other military actions” on a May 19 call with US War Secretary Pete Hegseth, possibly starting in June. Guatemala publicly denied approving any foreign operations on its soil, but said it had asked the US to help with operations its own forces would lead — which would make it the second country after Ecuador to allow such action.
Why did Bolivia’s defense minister resign in June 2026?
Mauricio Salinas resigned on June 2, 2026, amid the protest and road-blockade crisis that has gripped Bolivia since May 1 and sparked calls for President Rodrigo Paz to step down. Paz swore in Ernesto Justiniano the next day and sent Congress a new bill to govern states of exception and strengthen the military’s role; the crisis has been linked to ten deaths, seven of them from a lack of timely medical care.
What is the “accelerationism” strategy toward Cuba?
“Accelerationism” is how a senior White House official described the US pressure campaign on Cuba: 240+ new sanctions, an oil cutoff, the May 20 indictment of Raul Castro, and the USS Nimitz in the Caribbean, all meant to push the government to collapse. A France 24 analysis flagged two catches — there is no clear successor lined up, and a 1962 US law bars normalizing relations by decree.
What happened with the Argentine coast guard and the Chinese vessel?
An Argentine coast guard cutter, the Mantilla, chased a Chinese-flagged boat fishing illegally inside Argentina’s offshore waters off the Golfo San Jorge in late May or early June 2026. The boat had switched off its satellite tracking, and the case reflects tougher new enforcement rules and the illegal-fishing pressure behind Argentina’s new patrol-plane purchase.
§
Sources & Method
This weekend edition draws on Spanish-language defense and political outlets (including Infodefense, Defense.com, Zona Militar, and Zona Defense), official government releases (Argentina’s coast guard and government, the Bolivian Presidency, and the US War Department / Southern Command), and major press (The New York Times, Infobae, AFP, EFE, France 24, La Nacion, La Tercera, El Colombiano, Emisoras Unidas, Expansion, Excelsior, Ambito, Gestion, and Diario Las Americas). Event timelines were cross-checked against primary reporting.
The High, Med, and Low markers reflect the editor’s judgment on how important each item is, not a source consensus. This is a short interim issue between our regular weekly editions, focused on what is new since Issue #12 (May 24–June 1).
Latin America Defense Monitor
Weekend Special · Saturday, June 6, 2026 · By The Rio Times Defense Desk
View original source — Rio Times ↗
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