Armoured vehicles in Latin America have rarely been used in conventional combat, rather they have largely been used during coups, civil wars and in the counter-insurgency role. From the Mexican revolution to the present, armoured vehicles have been used in various ways against insurgents.

This is surprising to no one, but what may surprise some is that a large number of insurgent forces in Latin America have used or attempted to use armoured vehicles against the armies arrayed against them. These have not only been conventional vehicles captured from the armed forces, but a large number of home-made designs as well. As far as this author has been able to determine, since the Second World War insurgent designed armoured vehicles have been built in Costa Rica in 1948, in Cuba in 1958, in the Dominican Republic in 1965, Chile in 1973, Nicaragua in 1978-9, in El Salvador from 1980-1992 and in Colombia from 1993 to 1998.

This study will attempt to recount how armoured vehicles were used by these insurgent forces in the various conflicts. My research on this esoteric subject is not complete and this study is not designed to be the last word on the subject, but rather designed to share the information come across so far and provoke readers who have further information to correspond with the author via the magazine.

Insurgent Armor in Latin America

Insurgent Armor: Introduction
Insurgent Armor: Costa Rica 1948
Insurgent Armor: Cuba 1958
Insurgent Armor: Dominican Republic 1965
Insurgent Armor: Chile 1973
Insurgent Armor: Nicaragua 1978-1979
Insurgent Armor: El Salvador 1981-1989
Insurgent Armor: Colombia 1993-1998