Living as Jews in Latin America After Oct. 7

Antisemitism is a social illness that we Jews — in Latin America and around the world — have sadly learned to live with. We know that even when it appears dormant, it always remains latent, waiting for the right moment to resurface with force.

Both of us have spent years monitoring and combating antisemitism in the region. But never did we imagine that we would witness in our lifetimes a resurgence as fierce as the one we are experiencing today.

Oct. 7, 2023 marked a turning point not only for Israelis but for every Jew, everywhere. The barbarity of the Hamas-led massacre that took place that day — the worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust — shattered any illusion of security and crossed every boundary of humanity.

Perhaps even more shocking, however, has been what followed. Instead of a unanimous condemnation of terrorism, we have seen — in countless cities across the globe — the unjustifiable defended, the facts twisted and the victims blamed. Israelis, who suffered brutal terror, are now being accused for defending themselves — an immoral reversal of the truth.

Universities, social media platforms, news outlets and even international organizations have displayed a troubling tolerance toward antisemitic rhetoric disguised as a legitimate cause. Synagogues are attacked, Jewish students are threatened, businesses are vandalized with Nazi symbols — all in the 21st century. 

Latin America is home to roughly 450,000 Jews, nearly 150,000 of them in Argentina alone. In Brazil, antisemitic attacks have surged by nearly 1,000 percent since Oct. 7. Argentina and Uruguay have seen the sharpest increases in antisemitic content on Facebook and X. The rise is widespread: almost every country in the region has seen a growth in Jew-hatred since Oct. 7.

Fueled by the rhetoric of certain governments, political parties, and in some cases shadowy operatives financed by Iran and other rogue regimes, the demonization of Israel in Latin America has spread rapidly—moving from social media into mainstream media, academia, and even official institutions.

In cities large and small across the region, “pro-Palestinian” marches are taking place. And in almost every one of them, we see images of malnourished children — images already proven false — displayed alongside openly anti-Jewish slogans.

Almost invariably, protesters wave antisemitic signs (such as those equating the Star of David with the swastika), chant things like “judíos asesinos” and deface synagogues and Jewish institutions with hateful graffiti. This goes far beyond acceptable criticism of the Israeli government’s actions and clearly crosses the line into antisemitism.

There is no condemnation in these protests of the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli civilians, nor of the way this terrorist regime treats its own people: using them as human shields, stealing humanitarian aid, robbing children of their childhood and abusing women. Israeli hostages are not even mentioned.

The word “genocide” is used with absolute frivolity (insulting the memory of the victims of the Holocaust); Israelis are compared to Nazis and Israel is held to impossible standards. All of this fits perfectly within the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of antisemitism, and only exposes the underlying truth: antisemitism — not genuine concern for human rights — is at the core of these demonstrations.

Much like in other parts of the world, most of those who criticize Israel in Latin America have little or no grasp of the realities on the ground, yet they readily join the chorus of demonization.

The charge of genocide is being wielded irresponsibly and with malice. Israel harbors no genocidal intent, while the Palestinian side openly proclaims one—yet this inconvenient truth is one the world refuses to confront. Anyone familiar with the strength of the Israeli army knows that if genocide had been its intention, the war would have been over by Oct. 8, 2023 — without risking the life of a single Israeli soldier.

The fate of the Israeli hostages seems to matter little to the world — and the simple fact that the war could end today if the ruthless Hamas terrorists released them all is almost entirely ignored. Those still alive are being held in inhuman conditions: starved, denied access to the Red Cross, and completely cut off from their families. One of them — visibly malnourished — was forced to dig his own grave. Yet even that image (released by the terrorists themselves) was not enough for the world to demand their immediate release. Because it contradicts the narrative of Israel (the world’s only Jewish state) as the villain, it is quickly dismissed. Undoubtedly, the long-standing anti-Jewish prejudice has found a new excuse to show its face.

But in Latin America, this surge did not occur in a vacuum. For many years, some Latin American governments have tolerated or even promoted language that crossed the line into antisemitism, creating a hostile atmosphere for the local Jewish communities, and opening the door for what is happening now.

This is certainly the case of Colombia, where President Gustavo Petro showed his antipathy toward Israel and the Jewish people well before taking office. His long record of hostility — rooted in his past as a member of the ELN guerrilla force — culminated in open alignment with Iran and Hamas after Oct. 7. He equated Gaza with Auschwitz, accused Israelis of behaving like Nazis, and broke diplomatic ties with Israel — discarding decades of friendship.

In Brazil, President Lula da Silva has long used offensive and unwarranted rhetoric when referring to Israel and, after October 7, he compared Israel to the Nazis and declared that Israel’s actions in Gaza amounted to “a new Holocaust.” Diplomatic relations are now frozen.

In Venezuela, relations with Israel have been broken for years, first under Hugo Chávez and now Nicolás Maduro, both close allies of Iran. After Oct. 7, Caracas openly defended Hamas and even joined South Africa at the ICJ (International Court of Justice) to accuse Israel of genocide.

In Chile, President Gabriel Boric—who has a history of hostility toward the Jewish community — has echoed similar narratives, repeating the rhetoric of Brazil and Colombia and also supporting South Africa’s accusation at the ICJ. In Bolivia, President Luis Arce broke relations with Israel, accusing it of “crimes against humanity.”

The dictatorships of Nicaragua and Cuba, long hostile to Israel, also aligned with Hamas after Oct. 7. In Nicaragua, Jewish cemeteries were vandalized shortly after the Hamas pogrom.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to fund operations against Jews and Israel in the region. Its responsibility for the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires and the 1994 AMIA (Argentina Israelite Mutual Association) bombing remains a chilling reminder of how far its reach extends.

In the face of these brutal reactions against Israel and Jews in Latin America and all over the world, there are, of course, some people of good faith who are tempted to think that if only Israel had acted differently, much of this tragedy could have been avoided. But this view overlooks the deeper reality behind these events. No Israeli policy could ever justify the savagery of Oct. 7. What triggered this horror was the dangerous ideology with which the Palestinian people have been indoctrinated for decades. 

Nor were Israel’s government actions after Oct. 7 the cause of the atrocious wave of antisemitism that followed. The antisemitic demonstrations began even before Israel set foot in Gaza. And the sheer ignorance displayed by most of those judging Israel only confirms this.

The Israeli army is operating in an extraordinarily complex environment, confronting a terrorist regime that deliberately endangers its own civilians in order to maximize casualties and then shift the blame onto Israel. Passing judgment from afar on the decisions of a democratic government fighting a brutal, inhumane death cult like Hamas — without the necessary knowledge to evaluate the realities and dilemmas it faces — is not only irresponsible, but also fuels the dangerous tide of demonization sweeping the world.

The vast majority of Jews in Latin America understand this. And while deeply empathizing with innocent Palestinians — whose suffering is real and tragic — they reject the cynical attempts to blame Israel for it. History has shown us, time and again, how demonization of Jews has been used as a dangerous weapon. Each time, lies and slanders paved the way for violence. Today, the same pattern is reemerging. That is why those of us with a moral compass must stand firm and reject this chorus of demonization that not only affects Israel and Israelis but also leaves Jewish communities across Latin America and the world even more exposed and at risk. 

Eduardo Kohn is B’nai B’rith’s director of Latin American Affairs. Adriana Camisar is B’nai B’rith’s special advisor on Latin American and U.N. Affairs.