Latin America has united to condemn the violence and call for the restoration of peace in the Middle East. Governments in the region have lamented the latest flare-up between Israel and Palestine, and have echoed calls for dialogue to stop hostilities between Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and Hamas, while attacks in Gaza increase. “We do not want war, we are in favor of peace,” said Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador this Monday, one of the last leaders to speak out. Countries are alert to reports of casualties and have launched diplomatic efforts to evacuate their citizens from conflict zones. Argentina reported four dead compatriots, while the number of missing people of different nationalities increases.
Argentina, the country with the largest Jewish community in Latin America, is closely following the war unleashed this weekend in Israel. Both the president, Alberto Fernández, and the main candidates to succeed him, have condemned the attack carried out by Hamas. Authorities confirmed that there are at least four missing. In addition to expressing solidarity with the Israeli people, Fernández announced on Saturday the sending of humanitarian aid.
In the electoral debate held this Sunday, all the candidates, except for the socialist Myriam Bregman, began their speech with a message of solidarity with Israel for the attack. Argentina has suffered the violence of Islamic terrorism firsthand: in 1992, an attack against the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires caused 22 deaths and in 1994, the attack against the AMIA Jewish mutual society killed 85 people.
The Foreign Minister of Argentina, Santiago Cafiero, has communicated that he is “in permanent contact with our embassy, with the consulate general and the Israeli Government to locate the Argentines, assist them or provide them with information, depending on the situation in which they find themselves.” A total of 235 Argentines have contacted the diplomatic authorities to request to be evacuated from the country as soon as possible.
Mexico announced two humanitarian flights to Tel Aviv to repatriate around 300 citizens, most of them tourists, who were stranded after the conflict broke out. Authorities announced over the weekend that they were investigating the case of two Mexicans kidnapped by Hamas. One of the victims was identified by her family as Ilana Gritzewsky, who lived in the kibbutz from Niz Or, a few kilometers from Gaza. The other is Orión Hernández, who attended a concert in Palestine with his girlfriend, of German and Israeli nationality. López Obrador updated the number of missing people to three and stated that they are already in contact with their families.
“Mexico favors a comprehensive and definitive solution to the conflict, under the premise of two States, that addresses Israel’s legitimate security concerns and allows the consolidation of a politically and economically viable Palestinian State,” reads a statement from the Secretary of State. External relationships. There are around 5,000 Mexicans residing in Israeli and Palestinian territory.
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Two Colombians, Ivonne Rubio and Antonio Mesías Montaño, are missing. They are 26 and 29 years old, and have two children, ages six and three. They attended the electronic music festival attacked by Hamas and since Saturday there has been no news of them. She managed to call her father at the beginning of the attack, and tell her what was happening. The Colombian consulate has assisted about 200 more people, but all of them are out of danger and were in other areas of Israel.
The official reactions, meanwhile, have created debate. The Foreign Ministry published a first statement on Saturday, which included a “vehement condemnation of the terrorism against civilians that occurred this morning [sábado] in Israel” and which he deleted moments later. A couple of hours later, she issued another in which she “expresses her strongest condemnation of the attacks on civilians that occurred yesterday morning and today,” eliminating both the mention of terrorism and that of Israel. The call to seek dialogue between Israel and Palestine without explicit condemnation of Hamas reflects the statements that President Gustavo Petro has made repeatedly on his social networks.
“I was shocked by the terrorist attacks against civilians in Israel, which caused numerous victims,” said Brazilian President Luiz Inácio. Lula da Silva, who condemned “terrorism in all its forms.” The president commented that his country will spare no effort in seeking a peaceful solution and called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, which he presides over. The Government estimates that around thirty Brazilians live in Gaza and has provided six planes to support its citizens. The arrival of the first humanitarian flight is scheduled for Tuesday.
In Peru, news of two missing persons is expected, although the balance is preliminary. They are Daniel Levi, a Peruvian-Israeli doctor, who treated patients at the Soroka medical center, in Israel, and Rufina Pereyra, a citizen who traveled to Israel on vacation. More than 4,000 Peruvians live in Israel, most in Ramla, a city far from the Gaza Strip. The Government of Dina Boluarte, until now, has not commented on the conflict. The outgoing Government of Ecuador, which celebrates its presidential elections this Sunday, has done so by condemning the “terrorist attacks” by Hamas and reiterating its commitment to a negotiated, definitive and fair solution for the parties.
In Chile, where around half a million citizens of Palestinian origin live, the largest diaspora outside the Middle East, President Gabriel Boric expressed his “absolute condemnation,” although he avoided referring to the attacks as terrorist acts. Boric has previously expressed his sympathy for the cause of Palestine and has spoken out against Israel’s “illegal occupation.” His Government made “a call for an end to this inappropriate violence, in order to avoid an escalation that causes greater damage and suffering to the civilian population.” The South American country has mourned the death of two people of Chilean descent and has allocated a plane for about 200 tourists who have not been able to leave the country, although more flights are planned. Except for the case of a missing Chilean woman, no deaths, injuries or kidnappings have been officially reported.
The Boric Government has become entangled regarding its position on the conflict. The Israeli ambassador to Chile, Gil Artzyeli, described Foreign Minister Alberto Van Klaveren’s comment on the crisis in the Middle East as “unfortunate” and “regrettable.” The Foreign Minister assured through social networks that “the use of force against civilians is never acceptable in armed conflicts, even in the exercise of legitimate defense. “We call on all parties involved in acts of violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories to respect that basic principle… That goes for Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the State of Israel and any other actor intervening in the conflict.”
In Venezuela, in line with Petro, Nicolás Maduro demanded that the Israeli Government “immediately and completely put an end to all settlement and occupation activities in Palestinian territory as the only way to peace.” He also demanded a more active role for the United Nations in recognizing Palestine’s demands. Caracas did not mention Hamas or the attack on Israeli civilians. Former Bolivian President Evo Morales condemned “the imperialist and colonial actions” of Israel. Cuba expressed its “serious concern” and argued that the violence is “a consequence of 75 years of permanent violation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.”
In contrast, Central America has focused on condemning the attacks on Israel. Salvadoran Nayib Bukele, of Palestinian origin, called Hamas “beasts” and “animals” and said that the Islamist group does not represent Palestine. The Guatemalan president, Alejandro Giammattei, reiterated his condolences and support for Tel Aviv “in the face of the attacks perpetrated without justification.” Costa Rica demanded the release of hostages.
With information from Mar Centenera, Juan Esteban Lewin, Elias Camhaji, Rocio Montes and Ines Santaeulalia
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