“Latin American countries are of special significance in Iran’s foreign and defense policy, based on the importance of the highly sensitive South American region,” said Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani.
Hezbollah has expanded its presence in the Americas, mainly through illegal networks in Latin America, and the steady change to socialist governments in the region has exacerbated the situation.
In 2022, Chilean President Gabriel Boric made headlines when he refused to accept the credentials of Israel’s ambassador, Gil Artzyeli, citing the killing of a Palestinian teenager by Israeli forces. Although Chile’s foreign minister later apologized and reorganized the ceremony, tensions continued. In 2023, Bolivia severed diplomatic relations with Israel, while Chile and Colombia recalled their ambassadors from Israel, with Colombia accusing Israel of genocide.
The incident reflects wider tensions between leftist governments in the region and Israel, with Boric’s decision praised by groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, reflecting rising anti-Israel sentiment in parts of Latin America.
Brazil has also avoided taking hard-line actions against Hezbollah, as President Lula da Silva’s government does not consider the group a terrorist organization. Unlike Chile, which rejects Israel’s diplomatic credentials, Brazil’s tensions with Israel are more subtle, including the withdrawal of its ambassador during the 2024 Gaza conflict.
This political antagonism towards Israel is ironic, given Mossad’s important role in helping Brazil prevent a major terrorist attack in November 2023. At that time, the Brazilian Federal Police, with the support of Mossad, foiled an attack planned by Hezbollah targeting Jewish and Israeli sites in São Paulo. . Two individuals linked to Hezbollah were arrested, including one who was caught at the airport after arriving from Lebanon. Subsequent raids in São Paulo, Brasilia, and Minas Gerais uncovered further evidence of Hezbollah’s recruitment efforts in Brazil.
In Argentina, President Javier Milei did not shy away from calling Hezbollah and its Iranian agents, accusing them of being active in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. Milei visited Israel in 2024 to show support for Israel’s war against Hamas. His hardline stance against globalism and accusations of Iranian and Hezbollah influence have made him a controversial figure, with many opposing his views.
However, Milei is one of the few leaders in the region to dismiss this growing threat, drawing attention to the broader geopolitical struggle in Latin America between rising leftist governments and shifting alliances. Leftist governments in Latin America have provided openings for transnational terror networks, which ultimately return to Iran through their proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas.
Hezbollah, along with Hamas and the Houthis, is one of Iran’s main proxies, extending Tehran’s influence beyond the Middle East. In the Americas, Hezbollah has strategically expanded its operations since the 1980s, particularly in Latin America. The group has established a significant network, especially in the Tri-Border Region (Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil) and Venezuela, focused on financing the global agenda through drug trafficking, money laundering, and smuggling. This illegal activity thrives in areas with weak governance and corruption, allowing Hezbollah to generate significant profits.
US authorities responded by imposing sanctions on individuals linked to Hezbollah in Venezuela and the Tri-Border Region, citing involvement in fundraising and smuggling operations. In 2020, Colombian authorities cracked down on a Hezbollah-linked money laundering operation linked to the cocaine trade. Hezbollah has also used the Black Market Peso Exchange to launder drug money between Latin America and Lebanon.
In 2021, US sanctions further target Hezbollah financiers involved in the narcotics trade, disrupting their financial networks. A report in 2022 highlighted Hezbollah’s growing ties to the Maduro regime in Venezuela, where the group is involved in training paramilitary forces and facilitating arms trade. In 2023, US authorities arrested an individual in Miami in connection with a Hezbollah-backed drug smuggling operation, further demonstrating the group’s role in international drug trafficking and its capacity to operate in the US.
As Israel strengthens its operations against Hezbollah, the risk of Hezbollah-linked attacks on the United States increases. This conflict is part of a wider proxy war with Iran, a country that not only threatens Israel but also poses a significant threat to Iran’s growing influence in Latin America in particular, as it has trained Mexican drug cartels in tactics such as the use of car bombs, cluster bombs, and improvised explosive devices, with the aim of carrying out attacks on US soil.
While Israel’s war against Hezbollah serves its own security interests, it also acts as a critical line of defense for the US and other Western democracies. A victory for Israel in the ongoing conflict would help reduce Hezbollah’s threat, not only to Israel but also to the US and its allies. Any pressure on Israel to scale back its military campaign against Hezbollah and Hamas will only increase the danger for Israel, pro-American Arab regimes, and the US itself.