Ten+questions

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Argentina is the strongest. there were rumours/suspicions about Chavez diverting some of his future aquisitions to Argentina as part of his attempt to create a 'Chavez hegemony' in SA, he was also sticking his nose into the Falklands dispute at the same time as Nester Kirchner was getting a bit sweaty over the islands. =====

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Here's a recent headline:"Chile's Aggressive Military Arms Purchases Are Ruffling the Region, Alarming in Particular Bolivia, Peru and Argentina" __Scoop:Chile's Military Arms Purchases Alarm The Region__ __lso, from__ IRC Americas Program | Chile and Venezuela: Myths and Realities of the Arms Race " In recent years Chile has purchased weapons valued at US$2.785 billion, Venezuela at US$2.200 billion, and Brazil, greatly lagging, occupies third place at US$1.342 billion. A recent report in the industry magazine Military Power Review affirms that the trans-Andean country has risen from fourth to third place in the "military capacity" ranking for South America, displacing Argentina from that position and approaching Peru, which continues to occupy second place. "One thing is that Argentina & Brazil's military is worth more cause they have a lot of older equipment... also their speditures goes to their larger personal. But when it comes to precission and advancement, **Chile hands down is the Isreal of South America**!=====

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On December 1, 1948, President José Figueres Ferrer of Costa Rica abolished the **military of Costa Rica** after victory in the civil war in that year, In a ceremony in the //Cuartel Bellavista//, Figueres broke a wall with a mallet symbolizing the end of Costa Rica's military spirit. In 1949, the abolition of the military was introduced in Article 12 of the Costa Rican Constitution.=====

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The budget previously dedicated to the military now is dedicated to security, education and culture; the country maintains Police Guard forces. The museum //Museo Nacional de Costa Rica// was placed in the //Cuartel Bellavista// as a symbol of commitment to culture.=====