By comparison, Mexico’s army has 130,000 troops. Canada has 62,000.
The number of foot soldiers serving Mexico’s two most deadly drug cartels dwarfs the size of the Canadian army, according to the Washington Times. The two largest rival combatants have amassed a force of 100,000 people, which rivals Mexico’s army of 130,000 soldiers, and outnumbers Canada’s military of 62,000 troops. The sheer number of drug soldiers is destabilizing Mexico, according to a senior U.S. defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. This year 7,000 people have died in the violence, including more than 1,000 in January. The two cartels, known as the Golden Triangle and Los Zetas, appear to be negotiating a truce or merger, which would further destabilize the state. “I think if they merge or decide to cooperate in a greater way, Mexico could potentially have a national security crisis,” the defense official said.