Venezuelistan: Iran’s Latin American Ambitions

Iran’s growing encroachment in Latin America continues to worry those who care about strengthening democracy and human rights in the region. Iran has progressively solidified ties with states such as Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Ecuador, all of which have expressed antipathy towards U.S. interests and liberal democratic policies. More recently, Iran has also engaged with Brazil, Latin America’s leading power and the world’s eighth largest economy.

A number of U.S. officials have warned about the growing influence of Iran in Latin America, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warning in December that it would be “a really bad idea” for Latin American countries to embrace Iran and its theocratic regime. Hudson Institute held a panel discussion to discuss the ramifications for democracy in Latin America.

Further Reading

Jamie Daremblum, La inquietante presencia irani, Hudson Institute, April 13, 2010