Latin American lawmakers vow support for Israel, call to hold Iran accountable for terror

Latin American lawmakers hold conference to plan campaign to confront antisemitism, Iranian-backed terror, and anti-Israel boycotts.

By World Israel News Staff

Lawmakers from across Latin America gathered in Montevideo last week for the first congress of a regional coalition aimed at coordinating legislative action against antisemitism, ending the meeting with a declaration backing Israel, rejecting boycotts, and calling for Iran to be held accountable for terrorism.

The April 13–15 gathering in Uruguay’s capital brought together legislators from 15 countries and 35 participants in total, according to the Combat Antisemitism Movement, which organized the event.

The forum focused on combating rising antisemitism, sharing legislative tools, and building cross-border cooperation among lawmakers.

The joint declaration called for adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism and voiced “solidarity with the State of Israel” while backing “its right to self-defense against the Iranian regime and its regional proxies,” according to the organizers’ account of the final text.

It also rejected “all attempts to isolate and boycott the State of Israel” and demanded that Iran be held accountable for its “global terrorist activities, both past and present, including in Latin America.”

Uruguayan Congressman Conrado Rodríguez, who heads the regional legislators’ coalition, said the congress gave lawmakers a chance to compare developments in their own countries and identify practical responses.

“This event has truly been very important,” Rodríguez said. “Legislators from across Latin America have come together to recount their experiences, see what is happening in each of our countries, and learn about concrete tools to confront antisemitism and hate speech.”

“We have seen legislative initiatives at different levels and, above all, we have strengthened ties that will allow us to advance a joint fight,” he added.

“From parliaments and in coordination with the executive branches, we seek to build common public policies to confront this scourge with a regional and coordinated vision.”

CAM’s director of Latin American affairs, Shay Salamon, described the meeting as a turning point for the region.

“The Congress marks a decisive step toward the consolidation of a firm and coordinated regional commitment,” Salamon said.

“The active participation of legislators from Latin America demonstrates that there is a real willingness to confront antisemitism by strengthening legal frameworks, promoting education, and defending the democratic values that sustain our societies.”

Sessions were held in Montevideo’s Legislative Palace and included remarks from Uruguayan senators Javier García and Graciela Bianchi, Congressman Fermín Farinha, former Uruguayan President Julio María Sanguinetti, and Israeli Ambassador Michal Hershkovitz, according to CAM. Participants also joined Uruguay’s national Yom HaShoah ceremony.

The Montevideo congress built on a regional initiative launched publicly in Rio de Janeiro in October 2025, when Latin American legislators formally announced the creation of the coalition amid broader concerns over antisemitism and the regional influence of Iran and its proxies.