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<h1 class="gmail-">The growing Israeli foothold in South
America: Three new battlegrounds</h1>
<p class="gmail-">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.</p>
<div class="gmail-another-name">
<p><a href="https://thecradle.co/authors/renato-velez"
style="color:rgb(164,4,4)" moz-do-not-send="true">Renato
Velez</a></p>
</div>
<div class="gmail-another-name" style="margin-top:16px">
<p><span style="color:rgb(84,88,94)">SEP 8, 2025 - </span><font
size="1"><a
href="https://thecradle.co/articles/the-growing-israeli-foothold-in-south-america-three-new-battlegrounds"
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://thecradle.co/articles/the-growing-israeli-foothold-in-south-america-three-new-battlegrounds</a></font></p>
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<div class="gmail-inner-article-img"><span>Photo Credit: The
Cradle</span></div>
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<p>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 \u2013 and not diplomatic missions or economic
ventures \u2013 designed to re-anchor the occupation state
in a region historically hostile to its apartheid
policies and colonial practices.</p>
<p><strong>Tel Aviv's American frontier</strong></p>
<p>Israel's advance comes amid the wreckage of Latin
America's \u201c<a
href="https://feps-europe.eu/the-new-pink-tide-in-latin-america-can-they-move-further/"
moz-do-not-send="true">Pink Tide</a>\u201d \u2013 a
decade-long wave of center-left, anti-imperialist
governments that once challenged US dominance and
Washington\u2019s imposed neoliberal economics across the
continent. Some of those governments also heralded an
era of counter-hegemonic attempts by fostering
national sovereignty and South\u2013South relations,
spearheaded by the late Venezuelan president Hugo
Chavez (1999\u20132013) and Brazil\u2019s former president Lula
da Silva (2003\u20132011). 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.</p>
<p>As recent events in <a
href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/32840"
moz-do-not-send="true">Venezuela</a> have shown,
with American naval assets approaching its Caribbean
shores to apparently launch a regime change operation
disguised as a fight against \u201cnarco-terrorism,\u201d 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 <a
href="https://contendingmodernities.nd.edu/global-currents/christian-zionism-latin-america/"
moz-do-not-send="true">Christian Zionism</a> 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.</p>
<p><strong>Argentina: The occupation state\u2019s southern
embassy</strong></p>
<p>Argentina is a country built thanks to immigration.
At the beginning of the 20<sup>th</sup> 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 <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/12/argentina-iran-1994-amia-bombing"
moz-do-not-send="true">Hezbollah</a> and Iran by
Israeli, US, and some Argentine officials.</p>
<p>Under the rule of self-declared \u201clibertarian\u201d
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 \u201c<a
href="https://evangelicalfocus.com/world/31762/mileis-participation-in-an-evangelical-church-sparks-criticism-among-argentinian-evangelicals"
moz-do-not-send="true">Judeo-Christian</a>\u201d
civilization.</p>
<p>Milei\u2019s political rise has been bankrolled by figures
like prominent businessman Eduardo Elsztain and marked
by overt religious zeal, including affiliations with
the ultra-Orthodox <a
href="https://www.lapoliticaonline.com/politica/milei-vinculos-con-la-poderosa-lubavitch/"
moz-do-not-send="true">Chabad-Lubavitch</a>
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 \u201cefficiency.\u201d While Merokot <a
href="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"
moz-do-not-send="true">denies</a> it will privatize
Argentina's water company AySA, it has openly agreed
to \u201cadvise\u201d on its operations. Argentinian Interior
Minister Patricia Bullrich, a long-time pro-Israel
hawk, has revived discredited narratives about
Hezbollah\u2019s <a
href="https://www.dw.com/es/bullrich-dice-que-hezbol%C3%A1-lava-dinero-en-frontera-de-brasil-paraguay-y-argentina/a-68924357"
moz-do-not-send="true">alleged presence</a> in the
Tri-border Area to justify deepening Israeli security
cooperation against \u201cterrorist activities.\u201d Bullrich's
past arms deals with Israel include drones, radars,
and gunboats, and her circle is deeply embedded in
Israeli lobbying networks.</p>
<p>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 \u201cterrorism\u201d and
\u201cantisemitism.\u201d During his speech, Milei claimed in
stark Messianic language that Argentina and Israel
were both \u201cbeacons of light\u201d in a world ruled by
darkness. Milei even proposed launching the \u201cAmerican
Friends of the Isaac Accords (AFOIA),\u201d a vehicle to <a
href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/12/argentinas-javier-milei-launches-group-to-boost-israel-latin-america-ties"
moz-do-not-send="true">promote</a> Israeli ties
across Latin America. He also openly welcomed the
Israeli-US assault on Iran, declaring in an interview
that the Islamic Republic is \u201c<a
href="https://www.intellinews.com/milei-calls-iran-argentina-s-enemy-while-slamming-kirchner-in-explosive-interview-387397/"
moz-do-not-send="true">an enemy</a>\u201d 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. </p>
<p>But Milei's political survival is uncertain. With the
economy in free fall, <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentinas-financial-markets-tumble-amid-government-corruption-allegations-2025-08-25/"
moz-do-not-send="true">corruption probes</a>
commencing, and legislative elections looming in
October, Argentina may soon witness Milei's collapse,
and with it, Tel Aviv's strategic outpost.</p>
<p><strong>Bolivia: From solidarity to subservience?</strong></p>
<p>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 <a
href="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"
moz-do-not-send="true">sever ties</a> with Tel Aviv,
the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador in 2009, and
denunciation of Israel as a \u201c<a
href="https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191113-israel-is-a-terrorist-state-seven-times-bolivia-and-morales-took-a-stance-for-palestine/"
moz-do-not-send="true">terrorist state</a>\u201d in 2014
sent a clear message. Morales aligned Bolivia with
ALBA, BRICS+, and forged new partnerships with Iran,
Russia, and China.</p>
<p>The 2019 US-backed coup that installed former
president Jeanine Anez (2019\u20132020) 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 \u201cexpertise\u201d in dealing with \u201cterrorists.\u201d 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\u2019s new anti\u2011terrorism
forces, <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/bolivia-seguridad-idLTAKBN1YA2D8/"
moz-do-not-send="true">declaring</a>, \u201cThey\u2019re used
to dealing with terrorists. They know how to handle
them.\u201d</p>
<p>When the leftist coalition returned to power in 2020,
with Morales\u2019s 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 \u2013 internal fractures have weakened the ruling
MAS (Movement towards Socialism) party.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p><strong>Chile: The last resistance stronghold?</strong></p>
<p>With the <a
href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/28/chile-palestine-israel-gaza-war"
moz-do-not-send="true">largest Palestinian diaspora</a>
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), <a
href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/chile-cancels-israeli-participation-in-latin-americas-largest-aerospace-fair/"
moz-do-not-send="true">banned</a> Israeli arms
companies from the FIDAE airshow, and began
dismantling decades of defense cooperation. In March,
Chile <a
href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/chile-withdraws-military-attaches-from-israel-citing-gazas-humanitarian-crisis/3582725"
moz-do-not-send="true">withdrew</a> its military
attaché from Tel Aviv and voiced support for an arms
embargo, with officials openly considering <a
href="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/"
moz-do-not-send="true">Turkiye</a> as a replacement
supplier.</p>
<p>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\u2019s decisions regarding
Israel, claiming that losing such a \u201cstrategic
partner\u201d could jeopardize Chile\u2019s national security.</p>
<p>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 <a
href="https://www.latercera.com/politica/noticia/la-polemica-tras-exhibicion-de-bandera-de-israel-por-diputadas-del-psc-durante-la-cuenta-publica/"
moz-do-not-send="true">staunch defenders of
Christian Zionism</a>. Kast has filled his party
lists with ex-military officials aligned with Chile\u2019s
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
\u201cantisemitism,\u201d echoing recent accusations by the
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that Chile is \u201cthe most
antisemitic country\u201d in Latin America. Similar <a
href="https://www.ex-ante.cl/confidencial-departamento-de-estado-advierte-de-un-alza-de-las-denuncias-de-antisemitismo-en-chile/"
moz-do-not-send="true">concerns</a> have also been
raised by the US State Department. Even more
ominously, discussions are underway to formally <a
href="https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2024/04/12/estados-unidos-manifesto-su-preocupacion-por-la-creciente-presencia-de-hezbollah-en-america-latina/"
moz-do-not-send="true">designate</a> Hezbollah as a
terrorist group in Chile, mirroring recent moves by
Argentina. In April, Patricia Bullrich travelled to
Santiago to advocate for this agenda.</p>
<p>Argentina has become Tel Aviv\u2019s 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.</p>
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