On Tuesday, officials in Bolivia announced that it had severed all diplomatic ties with Israel for its defensive attacks on Gaza.
Bolivia "decided to break diplomatic relations with the Israeli state in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive taking place in the Gaza Strip," Deputy Foreign Minister Freddy Mamani said at a press conference, according to a report from Reuters.
Reportedly, Bolivia previously cut ties with Israel in 2009. This was done in protest of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Years later, in 2020, the two countries reestablished ties.
"We reject the war crimes being committed in Gaza. We support international initiatives to guarantee humanitarian aid, in compliance with international law," Bolivian President Arce reportedly said on Monday.
On October 7, terrorist organization Hamas launched its attack on Israel, massacring thousands and taking hundreds of hostages.
Reuters noted that many South American countries have come out against Israel for the attacks (Reuters):
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the attacks a "massacre of the Palestinian people" in a post on the social media network X, formerly known as Twitter.
Other Latin American countries, such as Mexico and Brazil, have also called for a ceasefire.
"What we have now is the insanity of Israel's prime minister, who wants to wipe out the Gaza Strip," said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday.
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Gaza health authorities say that 8,525 people, including 3,542 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7. U.N. officials say more than 1.4 million of Gaza's civilian population of about 2.3 million have been made homeless.
ABC noted that Bolivia and Chile “made no mention of the Hamas attack on Israel” regarding their decisions to restrict ties with Israel.
Bolivia also said that it “rejects the Israeli hostile treatment of international actors providing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip,” the report noted. Maria Nela Prada, the country’s minister of the presidency, called on Israel to “cease attacks in the Gaza Strip that have already resulted in thousands of civilian casualties and the forced displacement of Palestinians.”
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