Mexican standoff

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A Mexican standoff is a stalemate or impasse, a confrontation that neither side can seemingly win. In popular culture, the Mexican standoff is usually portrayed as two or more opponents with guns aimed at each other at close range. Exacerbating the tension is that neither side wants to put down its weapons for fear that its opponents will shoot them. This situation forces the participants to resolve the situation either by diplomacy, surrender, or a pre-emptive strike. Discussions of the Soviet Union-United States nuclear confrontation during the Cold War frequently used the term, specifically in reference to the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

This expression came into usage during the last decade of the 19th century, most likely originating in the American Southwest, although one reputable source [1] claims that the term is of Australian origin. One possibility is that it may relate to the difficult and paradoxical social and economic conditions of 19th and early 20th century Mexico.