[News] The growing Israeli foothold in South America: Three new battlegrounds

[Anti-Imperialist News]

  The growing Israeli foothold in South America: Three new battlegrounds

As Tel Aviv exploits the regional resurgence of anti-imperialist forces, 
its foothold in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile faces growing resistance 
from movements determined to push the occupation state out of Latin America.

Renato Velez <https://thecradle.co/authors/renato-velez>

SEP 8, 2025 - 
https://thecradle.co/articles/the-growing-israeli-foothold-in-south-america-three-new-battlegrounds


Photo Credit: The Cradle

As condemnation of Israeli war crimes intensifies across the Global 
South, Tel Aviv is moving swiftly to secure footholds in Latin America, 
namely across Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. These are strategic 
offensives – and not diplomatic missions or economic ventures – designed 
to re-anchor the occupation state in a region historically hostile to 
its apartheid policies and colonial practices.

*Tel Aviv's American frontier*

Israel's advance comes amid the wreckage of Latin America's “Pink Tide 
<https://feps-europe.eu/the-new-pink-tide-in-latin-america-can-they-move-further/>” 
– a decade-long wave of center-left, anti-imperialist governments that 
once challenged US dominance and Washington’s imposed neoliberal 
economics across the continent. Some of those governments also heralded 
an era of counter-hegemonic attempts by fostering national sovereignty 
and South–South relations, spearheaded by the late Venezuelan president 
Hugo Chavez (1999–2013) and Brazil’s former president Lula da Silva 
(2003–2011). While many of those gains were rolled back through coups, 
economic blackmail, and Atlanticist intervention paving the way for 
US-aligned conservative governments, the embers of that era are reigniting.

As recent events in Venezuela <https://thecradle.co/articles-id/32840> 
have shown, with American naval assets approaching its Caribbean shores 
to apparently launch a regime change operation disguised as a fight 
against “narco-terrorism,” the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has been 
retooled for confrontation, and the Axis of Resistance is expanding its 
influence beyond West Asia. Tel Aviv understands the clock is ticking. 
With growing regional solidarity against western imperialism, Israel is 
scrambling to lock in alliances and defense pacts before the next 
political rupture shuts it out once again. As in the time of the Cold 
War-era military juntas, Israel is taking advantage of the changing 
winds in Latin American politics, the growth of Christian Zionism 
<https://contendingmodernities.nd.edu/global-currents/christian-zionism-latin-america/> 
among local Evangelicals, and US direct interventions to project its 
strategic depth into the Americas. The coming elections in Argentina, 
Bolivia, and Chile will be decisive matches in this game.

*Argentina: The occupation state’s southern embassy*

Argentina is a country built thanks to immigration. At the beginning of 
the 20^th century, it received a large influx of Arab immigrants from 
the Ottoman Empire, mostly Syrian and Lebanese Christians; this was 
followed later by smaller waves of Muslim immigrants. It also hosts one 
of the biggest Jewish communities in the Americas. In the last four 
decades, Argentine relations with West Asia have been marred by two 
high-profile bombings: in 1992 against the Israeli Embassy in Buenos 
Aires; and in 1994 against the Jewish community center, AMIA. Blame for 
both incidents has been repeatedly placed, without definitive evidence, 
on Hezbollah 
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/12/argentina-iran-1994-amia-bombing> 
and Iran by Israeli, US, and some Argentine officials.

Under the rule of self-declared “libertarian” President Javier Milei, 
Argentina has become Tel Aviv's most ardent ally in the region. But 
Milei's support for Israel is not grounded in libertarian values, which 
traditionally emphasize non-interventionism and skepticism toward 
foreign entanglements. Rather, his is a messianic, evangelical Zionism 
that casts Argentina and Israel as joint stewards of “Judeo-Christian 
<https://evangelicalfocus.com/world/31762/mileis-participation-in-an-evangelical-church-sparks-criticism-among-argentinian-evangelicals>” 
civilization.

Milei’s political rise has been bankrolled by figures like prominent 
businessman Eduardo Elsztain and marked by overt religious zeal, 
including affiliations with the ultra-Orthodox Chabad-Lubavitch 
<https://www.lapoliticaonline.com/politica/milei-vinculos-con-la-poderosa-lubavitch/> 
movement. His government has already begun selling off state assets, 
opening the door for Israeli firms like Merokot to take control of 
critical infrastructure under the guise of “efficiency.” While Merokot 
denies 
<https://www.perfil.com/noticias/politica/la-compania-estatal-israeli-mekorot-hablo-sobre-los-rumores-que-indican-que-compraria-compren-aguas-y-saneamientos-argentinos-sa-aysa.phtml> 
it will privatize Argentina's water company AySA, it has openly agreed 
to “advise” on its operations. Argentinian Interior Minister Patricia 
Bullrich, a long-time pro-Israel hawk, has revived discredited 
narratives about Hezbollah’s alleged presence 
<https://www.dw.com/es/bullrich-dice-que-hezbol%C3%A1-lava-dinero-en-frontera-de-brasil-paraguay-y-argentina/a-68924357> 
in the Tri-border Area to justify deepening Israeli security cooperation 
against “terrorist activities.” Bullrich's past arms deals with Israel 
include drones, radars, and gunboats, and her circle is deeply embedded 
in Israeli lobbying networks.

In late June, just days before Tel Aviv's direct military escalation 
against Iran, Milei visited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 
and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on “terrorism” and 
“antisemitism.” During his speech, Milei claimed in stark Messianic 
language that Argentina and Israel were both “beacons of light” in a 
world ruled by darkness. Milei even proposed launching the “American 
Friends of the Isaac Accords (AFOIA),” a vehicle to promote 
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/12/argentinas-javier-milei-launches-group-to-boost-israel-latin-america-ties> 
Israeli ties across Latin America. He also openly welcomed the 
Israeli-US assault on Iran, declaring in an interview that the Islamic 
Republic is “an enemy 
<https://www.intellinews.com/milei-calls-iran-argentina-s-enemy-while-slamming-kirchner-in-explosive-interview-387397/>” 
of Argentina. Tehran took note of the remark in its formal complaint to 
the UN, warning that such rhetoric risked entangling Buenos Aires in a 
confrontation wholly unrelated to its national interests. Argentine 
opposition figures likewise condemned Milei's remarks as reckless and 
dangerously subservient to a foreign agenda.

But Milei's political survival is uncertain. With the economy in free 
fall, corruption probes 
<https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentinas-financial-markets-tumble-amid-government-corruption-allegations-2025-08-25/> 
commencing, and legislative elections looming in October, Argentina may 
soon witness Milei's collapse, and with it, Tel Aviv's strategic outpost.

*Bolivia: From solidarity to subservience?*

The last six years have been a downward spiral for Bolivian politics. 
After the 2019 coup that ousted former president Evo Morales, the 
country has suffered chronic political instability, impacting foreign 
policy too. Bolivia under Morales was a symbol of continental 
resistance. His decision to sever ties 
<https://www.google.com/search?q=bolivia+morales+expulsion+israeli+ambassador+2009&sca_esv=083780a269a3263d&rlz=1C1GCEU_en-gbEG1055EG1055&sxsrf=AE3TifNimm7BpAuz8Y7n9shf29cgauss0w%3A1757314295060&ei=93y-aNTBA4np7M8Pi9jX2A0&ved=0ahUKEwiUmcPyyciPAxWJNPsDHQvsFdsQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=bolivia+morales+expulsion+israeli+ambassador+2009&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiMWJvbGl2aWEgbW9yYWxlcyBleHB1bHNpb24gaXNyYWVsaSBhbWJhc3NhZG9yIDIwMDkyChAAGLADGNYEGEcyChAAGLADGNYEGEcyChAAGLADGNYEGEcyChAAGLADGNYEGEcyChAAGLADGNYEGEcyChAAGLADGNYEGEcyChAAGLADGNYEGEcyChAAGLADGNYEGEdIug1QmgpY8QtwAngBkAEAmAH6AaAB-gGqAQMyLTG4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgKgAgeYAwCIBgGQBgiSBwEyoAfiArIHALgHAMIHBTAuMS4xyAcF&sclient=gws-wiz-serp> 
with Tel Aviv, the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador in 2009, and 
denunciation of Israel as a “terrorist state 
<https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191113-israel-is-a-terrorist-state-seven-times-bolivia-and-morales-took-a-stance-for-palestine/>” 
in 2014 sent a clear message. Morales aligned Bolivia with ALBA, BRICS+, 
and forged new partnerships with Iran, Russia, and China.

The 2019 US-backed coup that installed former president Jeanine Anez 
(2019–2020) reversed these gains. Her government not only restored ties 
with Israel, but requested its help to suppress indigenous-led protests, 
praising the occupation state's “expertise” in dealing with 
“terrorists.” This principled position was quickly reversed by the 2019 
coup, led by pro-American Christian fundamentalists. The Jeanine Anez de 
facto government restored full diplomatic relations with Israel, and her 
interior minister, Arturo Murillo, even invited Israeli assistance in 
crafting Bolivia’s new anti‑terrorism forces, declaring 
<https://www.reuters.com/article/bolivia-seguridad-idLTAKBN1YA2D8/>, 
“They’re used to dealing with terrorists. They know how to handle them.”

When the leftist coalition returned to power in 2020, with Morales’s 
finance minister Luis Arce now president, Bolivia reinstated some of 
Morales's foreign policy direction, including a defense pact with Iran 
(which hinted at the possibility of Bolivia acquiring cutting-edge 
Iranian drones) and eventual severing of ties with Israel after its Gaza 
onslaught in 2023 – internal fractures have weakened the ruling MAS 
(Movement towards Socialism) party.

The first round of presidential elections this month ended in disaster 
for the left, with no MAS candidate making the runoff. The contest will 
now be between center-right Rodrigo Paz and far-right Tuto Quiroga, both 
staunchly pro-US and likely to restore military and intelligence ties 
with Tel Aviv. A victory for either will mark the end of Bolivia's 
anti-imperialist foreign policy and hand Tel Aviv another foothold in 
the Andes.

*Chile: The last resistance stronghold?*

With the largest Palestinian diaspora 
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/28/chile-palestine-israel-gaza-war> 
outside the Arab world, Chile has been a key node in resisting Israeli 
normalization. Chile's outgoing President Gabriel Boric publicly clashed 
with Israeli ambassador Gil Artzyeli, who aggressively targeted 
pro-Palestine voices across Chilean civil society and politics. Boric's 
administration took real steps to sever ties. It co-sponsored genocide 
proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) 
and the International Criminal Court (ICC), banned 
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/chile-cancels-israeli-participation-in-latin-americas-largest-aerospace-fair/> 
Israeli arms companies from the FIDAE airshow, and began dismantling 
decades of defense cooperation. In March, Chile withdrew 
<https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/chile-withdraws-military-attaches-from-israel-citing-gazas-humanitarian-crisis/3582725> 
its military attaché from Tel Aviv and voiced support for an arms 
embargo, with officials openly considering Turkiye 
<https://www.latercera.com/nacional/noticia/chile-sondea-a-empresas-en-turquia-como-proveedores-de-las-ffaa-en-medio-de-arremetida-del-gobierno-contra-israel/> 
as a replacement supplier.

Still, many Chilean activists criticized Boric for refusing to fully 
break diplomatic ties. Now, with elections looming in November, those 
gains may be erased. As in the cases of Argentina and Bolivia, the 
coming Chilean administration will likely be headed by pro-Israel 
conservatives. The right-wing opposition forces criticized most of 
Boric’s decisions regarding Israel, claiming that losing such a 
“strategic partner” could jeopardize Chile’s national security.

Far-right candidate Jose Antonio Kast, a close ally of Milei and a 
favorite of the Trump camp, is leading the polls. One of his allied 
forces, the Social-Christian Party, is composed of staunch defenders of 
Christian Zionism 
<https://www.latercera.com/politica/noticia/la-polemica-tras-exhibicion-de-bandera-de-israel-por-diputadas-del-psc-durante-la-cuenta-publica/>. 
Kast has filled his party lists with ex-military officials aligned with 
Chile’s Pinochet-era military establishment, which enjoyed strong ties 
with Israel. If elected, Kast will almost certainly reverse Boric's 
policies. His allies have already signaled plans to criminalize 
pro-Palestinian activism under the pretext of combating “antisemitism,” 
echoing recent accusations by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that 
Chile is “the most antisemitic country” in Latin America. Similar 
concerns 
<https://www.ex-ante.cl/confidencial-departamento-de-estado-advierte-de-un-alza-de-las-denuncias-de-antisemitismo-en-chile/> 
have also been raised by the US State Department. Even more ominously, 
discussions are underway to formally designate 
<https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2024/04/12/estados-unidos-manifesto-su-preocupacion-por-la-creciente-presencia-de-hezbollah-en-america-latina/> 
Hezbollah as a terrorist group in Chile, mirroring recent moves by 
Argentina. In April, Patricia Bullrich travelled to Santiago to advocate 
for this agenda.

Argentina has become Tel Aviv’s forward base, Bolivia faces the prospect 
of reversal, and Chile could soon follow. What happens in these three 
states will decide whether the occupation state cements a durable 
presence in Latin America, or whether a resurgent continental resistance 
closes the door on its ambitions.

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