Number two with only some bullets

Mexico is the second largest military power … in Latin America. Which is rather misleading, given that by its population (122.7 million), it has one of the smaller militaries in the world — 270,000 on active duty, and 76,000 reservists. The 2016 defense budget was 7 thousand million (US 7 billion) dollars.

Although only number two, Mexico’s forces are dwarfed by those of Brazil. One and half million, out of its 200 million citizens, are on military duty. Brazil not only has more active duty forces than Mexico, but a huge number of reservists: 330,000 active duty personnel, and 1,200,000 reservists. And when it comes to the defense budget, Mexico’s is peanuts. 32 thousand million in 2016 for defense.

Of course, both Canada and the United States put the Latin American militaries to shame when it comes to manpower and spending. Canada, despite it’s relatively small population (35.1 million) manages to put almost as many people into uniform as does Brazil. But its military spending is relatively frugal, only double that of Mexico for defense in 2016.

The United States (321.4 million population), with its 2.5 million men and women at arms, outspends the rest of the hemisphere all by itself, it’s 2016 defense budget coming in at 581 thousand million dollars. That we know of.

Publimetro, “Ejército Mexicano, el segundo más poderoso de América Latina”
Global Fire Power