Latin American Cooperation

摘要

Latin American navies have exercised together for more than half a century, not only to enhance and learn from each other, but also to increase their effectiveness in territorial and maritime zone protection. The US government decided to launch its "Unitas" exercise series after the detection of submarines, most probably of Soviet origin, off the Argentine coast in 1959 led to a chase by the Argentine Navy, fully supported by the US Navy (USN), coupled with the change in threat envelope in the Caribbean occasioned by the Cuban Revolution and Soviet support for it. The aim was to train Latin American navies in anti-submarine and other naval operations to face possible threats from Eastern Bloc navies or in case it was necessary to take action in Cuba. The first exercise took place in Venezuela in August 1960: the series continues to this day.