Until Chavez assumed power Iran's presence in the Western Hemisphere was not as strong as it is today. Its proxy, Hezbollah, had presence and even committed a number of atrocities in Latin America such as the attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets in Buenos Aires. However, its presence increased manifold since Chavez and his Bolivarian revolution began to spread throughout the hemisphere. Not surprisingly the Iranians have tried to carry out another act of terrorism by attempting to...

The Americas Report has previously written about the links between Hezbollah and the Venezuelan government’s support of the FARC, stemming from the unholy anti-American alliance between the presidents of Iran and Venezuela. Since the establishment of the Iran-Venezuela Joint Bank, the relationship has moved from a passive appreciation to a more active support role, which it is speculated will lead to increased funding for Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Troubling developments included...

Hizballah is a Shiite Muslim movement, Iranian-created and -funded, which strongarms Lebanon through threats and violence, assaults Israel with rockets obtained through Syria in contravention of UN resolutions, and is funded through massive criminal enterprises. And it has arrived in the Americas. Evidence for Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities in the Western hemisphere continues to build. The implications for the U.S., for Israel, and for Jews globally are ominous. Why, then, is...

It’s known that Hezbollah has established itself in the tri-border area (TBA) of South America where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet. It uses the area to conduct fundraising activities to funnel money back to the Middle East. But over the last six years, experts say, Hezbollah has made substantial progress in widening its operations throughout Latin America. Experts agree that Hezbollah is digging-in in the Americas, but what they don’t agree on is whether the organization...

Ever since Iran's President Mahmoud was elected in 2005, Iran has been working resolutely to establish a foothold in the Latin American countries - in the U.S.' backyard. The Iranian president's partners in promoting this policy are the presidents of Venezuela and Bolivia, who provide him with a springboard for activity in Latin America. Iran is exploiting its growing ties and common interests with Latin American countries to deploy there its familiar pieces from the Middle Eastern and African...

An Ethiopian terrorist captured in Ecuador was engaged in the traffic of undocumented migrants. The character, named Yaee Dawit Tadese, was deported in March to the United States. He is said to have links to Al Qaeda (something that hasn't been independently confirmed) and reportedly committed one attack in Pakistan in which 38 people were killed. The illegal migrants came from Somalia, Bangladesh, Eritrea and Kenya. They used to arrive in Ecuador via Cuba or Venezuela, after a long journey...

The Tri-Border Area (TBA) along the junction of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay is a hotbed of illegal activity that includes money launderers, arms traffickers, counterfeiters, drug traffickers, and terrorists. In fact, it is one of the most dangerous places in the world. According to a recent U.S. Government study, this area annually generates over $6 billion of illicit money and is nearly devoid of all governmental control. Given the combination of a porous border and known terrorist...

A Somali man used Brazil as a staging ground to smuggle people, including members of a terrorist group into the United States, witnesses are expected to testify during a sentencing hearing Thursday in San Antonio. Ahmed Mohammed Dhakane pleaded guilty in November to two counts of making false statements on his 2008 asylum application. He failed to disclose his terrorist affiliations and that he had acted as an alien smuggler. The U.S. didn't charge Dhakane with smuggling or terrorism...

730333 Venezuelan Ambassador to Syria, Imad Saab Saab (right), meets with his counterpart from Iran, Ahmad Mousavi (center), at the Venezuelan Embassy in Damascus in May 2010. President Obama's trip to South America has showcased promising partnerships in Brazil and elsewhere. His visit, however, should also focus attention in the region and within his administration on the fact that Iran and Venezuela are conspiring to sow Tehran's brand of proxy terrorism in the Western Hemisphere. On...

When I was in Buenos Aires in June, my friend Harry (the one and only Harry made famous by Dereck Foster, the Herald’s illustrious food and wine critic) gave me a book titled Los llaman “jovenes idealistas” (They Were Called “Young Idealists”). The author is Victoria Villarruel. An introductory paragraph to the book describes her as the founder of the Centro de Estudios Legales sobre el Terrorismo y sus Víctimas, identified, somewhat awkwardly by the...