Since the beginning of humans, there has always been confrontations. However, if we look at where these have happened, there has never been that many near where it is warmest; the equator.
Disease, poor soil, crazy weather, and no advancement of civilization are all reasons, but how did these come to be?
Climate. Right around the equator, it is always above freezing and life should be very prosperous because of this. It means many of our world's species and plants are here, but it also means many of our world's diseases come from here as well. This giant list of diseases includes malaria, dengue, leprosy, tuberculosis,
West Nile virus, and so many more that just prosper. When many of the European countries first set up their colonies in the 16 through 18th centuries, they at first had the upper hand with their diseases they had bought with them. However, they never were able to somewhat prosper and adjust to this climate with monsoons and scorching temperatures. Even when resources like silver were found in the
Andes mountains during this time, no country ever permanently settled it because of it's distance from Europe and little importance to strategy.
With this unpredictable climate plague of disease, the equator seems to always be the spot to avoid. Only civilizations like the Incas have succeeded in building civilization, but they were quickly dismayed by disease from Europe. After them, civilizations along the Equator never rose to high prominence in the world because they just could not catch up with how fast the rest of the world was advancing. They were too far behind.
Monsoon seasons would often drench the soil making it hard to grow many crops native to North America and Europe. The equator may seem like a good warm spot of the world to always be, but it comes with many flaws.