Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago become the first major British colonies in the Caribbean to become independent in 1962. 1966, Barbados becomes independent of Great Britain, and in 1973, the Bahamas becomes an independent nation.

Under President Diaz Ordaz, from 1964, Mexico achieves a degree of economic stability. In 1970, L. Echeverria Alvarez is elected president, carrying on the policies of the previous governments. In spite of the apparent calm surface of Mexican society, underlying problems of political corruption, poverty and native rights remain unresolved.

In 1965, a civil war breaks out in the Dominican Republic, with the United States landing troops to help keep a pro-American government in power. The Americans claim they are combatting a "communist rebellion".

In 1960, the Sandanista rebel movement is created in Nicaragua to oppose the dictatorship of the Samoza family. A campaign of terrorism is begun by the Sandanistas. In spite of repression, the terrorist campaign opens up into a full scale guerrilla war and revolution by the late 1970s. In spite of US-supplied weapons, the military forces supporting Samoza are defeated in 1979, and the Sandanista's under Daniel Ortega take power.

Caribbean