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Hezbollah in Latin America
Hezbollah in Latin America is a splinter organization of the Shia Islamist Lebanese political party and militant group Hezbollah which operates in Latin America.
The group was established in the 1980s in the tri-border region of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina which was considered a safe haven for the group's operations of smuggling, recruitment, and planning of attacks. They expanded into Venezuela,[when?] allegedly with some degree of sponsorship from the Venezuelan state. The establishment was seen by the United States government as a way for Iran to get more leverage against the US and set up a South American terrorist proxy network. The group's "hub" is in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. Through their establishment in the tri-border countries, members of Hezbollah in Latin America have expanded their operations into areas of Chile and Bolivia. According to Italian political scientist Emanuele Ottolengh of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), Hezbollah had an established presence in both of the countries for two decades years as of 2024. Besides the constant funding and revenue building, operations done by Hezbollah in Latin America are mostly minimal when it comes to terrorist attacks and other forms of paramilitary activity in order to keep a low profile.
Hezbollah in Latin America has been suspected of being involved in the 1994 AMIA bombing, in which the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association building in Buenos Aires was destroyed, and 85 people were killed.
In 2017, the United States arrested two suspected members of Hezbollah in Latin America, Samer el Debek and Ali Kourani, who were both Lebanese United States citizens, Samer el Debek who was born in Dearborn, Michigan, was plotting on attack the Israeli embassy with Ali Kourani, Debek received paramilitary training outside the United States in Panama in a training base that was hosted and funded by Hezbollah in Latin America.
In 2021, members of Hezbollah in Latin America were planning on assassinating an Israeli national in Colombia as revenge for the assassination of Qasem Soleimani which was part of a larger operation of revenge attacks by Hezbollah.
In September 2023, the United States Department of State designated Hezbollah in Latin America and other operatives associated with them as terrorists.
After the 2023 October 7 attacks during the Gaza war, Hezbollah has been accused by Israel of planning to carry out terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets in Brazil.
In November 2023, two men suspected of links to Hezbollah in Latin America and Hezbollah at large were arrested by Brazilian police. One of the men was arrested in the São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport after coming from Lebanon into Brazil. The plan that the men had was to attack Jewish communities in Brazil, but the plan was foiled with assistance from the Mossad intelligence agency. In addition to these arrests, the Brazilian police executed 11 search warrants in relation to the recruitment of extremists in Brazil. These search warrants included homes and storage facilities in São Paulo, the capital Brazil and all over the state of Minas Gerais.
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Hezbollah in Latin America
Hezbollah in Latin America is a splinter organization of the Shia Islamist Lebanese political party and militant group Hezbollah which operates in Latin America.
The group was established in the 1980s in the tri-border region of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina which was considered a safe haven for the group's operations of smuggling, recruitment, and planning of attacks. They expanded into Venezuela,[when?] allegedly with some degree of sponsorship from the Venezuelan state. The establishment was seen by the United States government as a way for Iran to get more leverage against the US and set up a South American terrorist proxy network. The group's "hub" is in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. Through their establishment in the tri-border countries, members of Hezbollah in Latin America have expanded their operations into areas of Chile and Bolivia. According to Italian political scientist Emanuele Ottolengh of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), Hezbollah had an established presence in both of the countries for two decades years as of 2024. Besides the constant funding and revenue building, operations done by Hezbollah in Latin America are mostly minimal when it comes to terrorist attacks and other forms of paramilitary activity in order to keep a low profile.
Hezbollah in Latin America has been suspected of being involved in the 1994 AMIA bombing, in which the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association building in Buenos Aires was destroyed, and 85 people were killed.
In 2017, the United States arrested two suspected members of Hezbollah in Latin America, Samer el Debek and Ali Kourani, who were both Lebanese United States citizens, Samer el Debek who was born in Dearborn, Michigan, was plotting on attack the Israeli embassy with Ali Kourani, Debek received paramilitary training outside the United States in Panama in a training base that was hosted and funded by Hezbollah in Latin America.
In 2021, members of Hezbollah in Latin America were planning on assassinating an Israeli national in Colombia as revenge for the assassination of Qasem Soleimani which was part of a larger operation of revenge attacks by Hezbollah.
In September 2023, the United States Department of State designated Hezbollah in Latin America and other operatives associated with them as terrorists.
After the 2023 October 7 attacks during the Gaza war, Hezbollah has been accused by Israel of planning to carry out terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets in Brazil.
In November 2023, two men suspected of links to Hezbollah in Latin America and Hezbollah at large were arrested by Brazilian police. One of the men was arrested in the São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport after coming from Lebanon into Brazil. The plan that the men had was to attack Jewish communities in Brazil, but the plan was foiled with assistance from the Mossad intelligence agency. In addition to these arrests, the Brazilian police executed 11 search warrants in relation to the recruitment of extremists in Brazil. These search warrants included homes and storage facilities in São Paulo, the capital Brazil and all over the state of Minas Gerais.