Dina Siegel Vann

Our Hemisphere has been experiencing in the last few years the presence and influence of “new” geopolitical actors transforming the nature and dynamics of inter-American relations. Even though the US has attempted to reset its relations with most countries in the region, given the generalized perception of indifference or heavy handed engagement, it has remained distracted with problems at home and conflicts elsewhere. This vacuum in what has been traditionally the US’ sphere of influence is being filled by nations with or without a history of regional engagement and with very differing agendas.

Take for example the case of Iran. Since 2005, the year Caracas made a strategic decision to strengthen relations and align itself with the Persian nation, Venezuela became the gateway to increased Iranian presence in the region. Exchanges have expanded in the diplomatic, economic, and ideological realms with the Chavez regime reinforcing Iran’s anti-US stridency and adopting the latter’s anti-Zionist obsession. Iran is no stranger to hemispheric affairs. Beyond maintaining low key economic and diplomatic relations with many countries until very recently, some in Iran’s current ruling circles were charged with masterminding the 1992 attack against the Israeli embassy and the 1994 bombing of the AMIA community building in Buenos Aires. Its renewed and fortified presence in the region, allegedly aimed at developing constructive ties, should therefore be taken with a huge grain of salt and with no small measure of concern given the international community’s probing of its nuclear ambitions.

Or Russia. Since civil strife in Central America in the seventies and eighties, a direct result of the cold war playing itself at the hemispheric level, and the fall of the Soviet Union, Russian influence practically disappeared from the regional radar screen. But the country is back, hoping to make some juicy profits from its arms sales to a paranoid regime led by Hugo Chavez’s. In fact, Venezuela’s transactions have triggered an unjustified arms race, a travesty in the most unequal region in the world starved for cash to fight endemic poverty and improve social services and living standards.

Or commodity- hungry China with very deep pockets and a permanent necessity for crops to feed its growing population and for vast amounts of oil to keep its industrial machinery running. An added benefit in trade with this emerging economy: no pre-conditions to the transactions.

Or Spain, a long- time valid and valued interlocutor due to its many historical, cultural and economic ties with most countries in the region, seeking to play a constructive role as mediator strengthening its influence and reach while taking care of its myriad investments.

And then there’s Brazil, the waking giant and the indisputable powerbroker in the Southern Cone with a newly attained self perception as an interlocutor of global proportions and ambitions to attain a permanent seat in the Security Council. Brazil believes that its different style of conducting diplomacy leading President Lula to recently receive Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Brasilia has more of a chance of preventing or neutralizing international conflicts than what the US or others have attempted.

Bilateral and multilateral relations between Israel and most nations in the region seem to have been affected by these developments. Venezuela and Bolivia broke relations with the Jewish State at the beginning of the year after many decades of warm and fluid ties. Virulent anti-Israel rhetoric, whether in the state sponsored media or during visits with leaders of unsavory regimes in the Middle East, is now quite common and has led to anti-Semitic vandalism as was the case with Caracas’ Tiferet Israel synagogue last February. The negative voting inertia in multilateral forums persists. And that is why in the last year and after many decades of practically abandonment, several top tier Israeli politicians including President Shimon Peres and Foreign Minsiter Avigdor Lieberman made the rounds in the region to bolster alliances and express interest in expanding trade and mutual collaboration. Of particular interest is the outreach to the few nations, such as Colombia and Peru, who are confronting head on and resisting troublesome regional trends.

Local Jewish communities have been closely monitoring these developments and trying to systematically assess their impact on their own societies. Convened by the American Jewish Committee’s Latino and Latin American Institute, once again more than thirty leaders from the region met in Miami in mid December to exchange information, explore future scenarios and craft some joint strategies to address them. Spanish Jewish leaders have been incorporated into this effort given their country’s ongoing intellectual impact on political and opinion leaders in Latin America.

At one point participants interacted with Latin American Jewish residents of Southern Florida, many of them relatively newcomers, bespeaking of one of the most dramatic outcomes of the new regional reality, the need to uproot oneself and family due to inhospitable conditions.

Dina Siegel Vann is the director of AJC’s Latino and Latin American Institute.

QUOTES AND FIGURES