Venezuela and Israel severed diplomatic relations in 2009 when then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expelled the Israeli ambassador in protest of the military attack on the Gaza Strip.
Seventeen years later, the two countries agreed to establish a mechanism to resume the provision of consular services to their citizens. Although this step is limited, until recently it was considered unlikely.
Colombia has gone much further; The government of the new president, Abelardo de la Esprilla, not only canceled the decision to sever diplomatic relations taken by his predecessor, President Gustavo Petro; It also announced the transfer of its embassy to Jerusalem and recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
Under international law, this area is Syrian territory occupied by Israel since 1967 and annexed in 1981, and its annexation is not recognized by the vast majority of the international community, including Germany and the United Nations.
Political swing
In an interview with DW, Isaac Caro, a professor at the Alberto Hurtado University in Chile, said that there is a "wave" of rapprochement with Israel in response to the rise of the extreme right that has taken root in the region. From Caro's point of view, this path is linked to "an active alignment with the foreign policy orientations of the United States."
Daniel Wagner, associate professor in the Department of International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, also speaks of a “wave of convergence.” He says that it began with former President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil and President Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, and is now becoming particularly clear with President Javier Milley in Argentina and other countries.
Wagner describes a political swing from left to right, but mentions another variable: populism. He says when populism is added to the right, there will not only be a rapprochement, but even a real “embrace” of Israel.
Political analyst Gilberto Aranda from the University of Chile also sees a regional trend whose first element is a strong reorientation towards the United States under the administration of President Donald Trump, and thus a rapprochement with Israel.
From Javier Mele to Colombia
Argentina is considered the clearest example of this rapprochement, as its president, Javier Milli, made his rapprochement with Israel a prominent part of his foreign and political policy.
According to Professor Isaac Caro, the relationship with Israel has become a “distinctive feature” of the extreme right in the region and is also linked to the discourse of belonging to a Western civilization with Judeo-Christian roots.
However, the motivations are not the same everywhere. In this regard, Wagner highlights ideological and religious factors as well as strategic ones, saying that closer relations with Israel also aim to indicate a certain international orientation towards Washington.
The extent of this shift is illustrated by Colombia, where, under Petro, Bogotá severed relations with Israel in 2024 due to the Gaza War; Under de la Esprilla, Colombia returned to adopting a pro-Israel position
Caro pointed to a “fundamental shift” in Colombian foreign policy, especially towards the United States, as seen in the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
According to political analyst Aranda, the reorientation towards Washington and the personal convictions of its new president, who converted to Protestant Christianity, converge in Colombia.
Venezuela...a special case
As for Venezuela, the features of this ideological model do not fully fit it because its regime has not changed politically, but its international position changed after the American intervention and subsequent rapprochement with Washington at the beginning of 2026.
The resumption of consular services between Venezuela and Israel carries an important symbolic value. For Israel, restoring relations with a country that was one of its staunchest opponents in the region is a diplomatic success.
Other countries are also witnessing similar transformations. Bolivia severed its relations with Israel in 2023, then restored them in December 2025 after the change of government. Chile also changed its position: while former President Gabriel Buric was strongly critical of Benjamin Netanyahu's government, the government of President José Antonio Caste adopted a more positive stance.
Chile is also seeking to revive cooperation with Israel in the defense sector. However, Aranda asserts that Santiago has not reached what Colombia has reached.
Brazil and Mexico deal differently
The situation in Latin America is far from uniform, with Brazil representing a counterweight; Lula da Silva's government takes a highly critical stance towards Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
Aranda asserts that "Brazil is the country with the greatest influence in the region and takes a critical stance toward Israel." Because of Brazil's demographic, economic, and political weight, it is difficult to consider the regional shift in South America toward Israel complete.
Mexico, the other giant in Latin and Central America, is also added to Brazil. While President Lula has been highly critical, Mexico under President Claudia Sheinbaum seeks to maintain greater neutrality and diplomatic balance.
Despite its criticism of Israeli operations in Gaza, it maintains diplomatic relations with Israel. This shows that criticizing Benjamin Netanyahu's government does not necessarily mean severing relations with the State of Israel.
An ill-defined lump
Thus, the Latin American front that had previously criticized and opposed Israel was weakened. Aranda believes that this bloc is "unclear" at the present time after the political changes in countries such as Colombia, although Brazil still has sufficient weight to represent an alternative position.
Israel's interest is not limited to gaining the support of friendly governments, as its relations go back to the founding of the state in 1948, and include the areas of immigration, trade and security, but Latin America's support for Israel in multilateral organizations such as the United Nations has always been important to confront the international isolation to which Israel may be exposed.
Professor Daniel Wagner summarizes current interests in three terms: “legitimacy, cooperation, and influence.”
On the one hand, Israel needs partners, as well as economic, technological and military cooperation. In contrast, Latin America finds Israel a strong partner in areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and defense.
Accordingly, rapprochement represents a mutual bilateral relationship, and remains closely linked to political cycles related to who has power, where and when.
