US urges Bolivia to designate Hezbollah, Hamas as 'terrorist organizations'
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- US presses Bolivia to expel suspected Iranian operatives and classify Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, and Hamas as terrorist organizations.
- Effort is part of broader Washington strategy to limit Tehran’s influence in Latin America.
The United States is applying pressure on Bolivia to expel suspected Iranian operatives and formally designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, and Hamas as terrorist organizations, according to two officials familiar with the matter. The move aims to reduce Tehran’s regional influence in Latin America.
Diplomatic push behind the scenes
US officials are reportedly urging Bolivia’s government to take a harder line against groups considered proxies for Iran. This effort follows broader US initiatives to counter Iranian influence across the region, including similar measures in Ecuador and Argentina in recent months.
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A separate source notes that Washington accelerated pressure on interim President Delsi Rodríguez’s government after the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, seeking to limit Caracas’s economic and security cooperation with Tehran.
Bolivia’s strategic role
Although Bolivia is landlocked and not an obvious arena for global power struggles, US officials say it has become a key hub for Iranian diplomatic and intelligence activities in Latin America. Retired CIA officer Rick De La Torre explains that Bolivia’s value lies in its politically permissive environment, weak counterintelligence measures, and central geographic location, which Iran and Hezbollah use as operational bases to quietly extend influence into neighboring countries.
Past Bolivian leaders, including leftist presidents Evo Morales and Luis Arce, were seen as resistant to distancing from Iran. US officials now see a unique opportunity with the election of centrist President Rodrigo Paz, who signals potential alignment with Washington and the end of decades of leftist governance.
Broader regional campaign
Sources say Bolivia is part of a larger US campaign in the region. In September, Ecuador designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, and Hamas as terrorist groups. Last week, Argentina took similar action against Iran’s Quds Force.
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US officials reportedly also discuss similar designations with Chile, Peru, and Panama, though it is unclear if formal agreements have been reached.
Accusations against Hezbollah and Iran
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah have long been accused of operating in Latin America. Iranian agents allegedly attempted to assassinate Israel’s ambassador to Mexico last year, thwarted by Mexican authorities. Hezbollah is accused of financing global operations through illicit networks in the region and occasionally planning attacks abroad.
The US campaign reflects heightened concern over Iran-linked actors exploiting permissive environments in Latin America to expand influence and conduct covert operations.
