A recent Washington Post front-page story proclaimed that “Iran is quietly seeking to expand its ties with Latin America.” To those who follow the region, however, it is clear that Iran has been expanding its ties for years now, and has not been quiet about it at all. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s recent visit to Venezuela, Ecuador, Cuba, and Nicaragua rekindled concerns over the true nature of Iran’s growing ties in a region so close to the United States.
In December 2011 the Spanish-language Univision network aired a ground-breaking documentary ‘La Amenaza Iraní’ (The Iranian Threat) on the Iranian presence in Latin America. The documentary includes exclusive reporting on an undercover operation in Mexico that exposed the Iranian ambassador’s role in attempted cyber-security attacks on the United States. It also outlines the role played by the Venezuelan consul in Miami, who, based on the Univision report, was investigated and expelled from the United States in January. In addition, the documentary examines the recruitment of Latin American students to train in Tehran, Iran’s economic and intelligence activities in the region, and its ties to Hugo Chávez and other Latin American leaders.
Hudson Institute’s Center on Latin American Studies and the International Assessment and Strategy Center are pleased to invite you to a screening of the documentary, followed by a panel discussion on Iran’s influence in Latin America.
