Israel And Latin America: Things Are Looking Up

While much of Europe appears ever less friendly to Israel, south of the border, down Mexico way, and all the way to Tierra del Fuego, things are looking up for the Jewish state. Paraguay has now opened its Israeli embassy in Jerusalem, joining Guatemala and Honduras. Now President Javier Milei, the Catholic president of Argentina who studies the Talmud and has been a strong supporter of Israel during his entire political existence, is about to fulfill his commitment — by early next year, he now says — to move the Argentinean Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. And Israel has been engaged in a diplomatic offensive to win friends in Central and South America, holding out the promise of sharing high-tech advances with several of them. More on Israel’s recent diplomatic achievements in Latin America, linking the Jewish state with more countries in what President Milei calls the Isaac Accords, can be found here: “Israel Sees Momentum in Latin America After Argentina’s Milei Officially Launches Isaac Accords,” by Ailin Vilches Arguello, Algemeiner, December 1, 2025:

With the official launch of the Isaac Accords by Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Israel aims to expand its diplomatic and security ties across Latin America, with the initiative designed to promote government cooperation and fight antisemitism and terrorism.

Milei formally launched the Isaac Accords last week during a meeting in Buenos Aires with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who has been on a regional diplomatic tour.

Modeled after the Abraham Accords — a series of historic US-brokered normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab countries, this new initiative aims to strengthen political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the Jewish state and Latin American governments.

The Argentine leader called his country a “pioneer” alongside the United States in promoting the new framework, emphasizing its role in fostering closer ties between Israel and the region across key strategic fields.

“While the vast majority of the free world decided to turn its back on the Jewish state, we extended a hand to it,” Milei said during a speech at the 90th anniversary of the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA), the country’s Jewish umbrella organization.

“While the vast majority turned a deaf ear to the growth of antisemitism in their lands, we denounced it with even greater fervor, because evil cannot be met with indifference,” he continued.

Shortly after Milei’s announcement, Saar praised him as “a double miracle, for Argentina and for the Jewish people,” describing his connection to Judaism and Israel as “sincere, powerful, and moving.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised Milei, describing his “moral clarity, vision, and courage” as signals of “a new era of common sense, mutual interests, and shared values between Israel and Latin America.”

The first phase of the Isaac Accords will focus on Uruguay, Panama, and Costa Rica, where potential projects in technology, security, and economic development are already taking shape as the initiative seeks to deepen cooperation in innovation, commerce, and cultural exchange….

Saar also announced that Bolivia has lifted visa requirements for Israelis entering the country, signaling closer cooperation between the two countries.

“This decision will allow many Israelis to visit Bolivia again after many years, enjoy its vibrant culture and remarkable scenery, and strengthen the ties between our nations,” Saar posted on X.

President Rodrigo Paz, a center-right politician, took office this year following years of left-wing government in Bolivia during which the country severed relations with Israel. Paz’s election signaled a shift in policy toward the Jewish state.

Now Bolivia is in the process of renewing diplomatic relations with Israel, ties that were severed under the previous left-wing regime.

Here’s the scoreboard so far:

Three Latin American countries now have their embassies in Jerusalem. These are Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay. Argentina will likely do so this spring. Ecuador, having opened a new innovation office that has diplomatic status in Jerusalem, is well on its way to joining this group. Bolivia has a new center-right leader, Rodrigo Paz, who is well-disposed toward Israel, as demonstrated by his ending a visa requirement for Israeli visitors and restoring diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. He may be amenable to moving the Bolivian Embassy to Jerusalem.

The first phase of the Isaac Accords will focus on Uruguay, Panama, and Costa Rica, where Israel has offered to help with potential projects in technology, security, and economic development. And as cooperation deepens between Israel and all three states, in commerce, innovation, and cultural exchange, it is most likely that what Israel most wants — their embassies to be moved to Jerusalem — will finally be granted.