Salazar Honors OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro’s Legacy Fighting Antisemitism in Latin America

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) honored the tenure and legacy of Luis Almagro as the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), highlighting his work in combating the rise of antisemitism in Latin America following the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023.

In a time when antisemitism threatens Jewish communities across the Western Hemisphere, dedicated leaders like Secretary General Almagro are worthy partners of the United States in addressing these threats.

“It is frustrating that the heads of state who have persecuted Israel the most are the favorite partners of the Biden Administration, while those countries who have condemned Hamas forcefully like Paraguay, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic have received little thanks,” said Chairwoman Salazar. “I am very proud that Luis Almagro is on the right side of history, standing with our ally Israel and our partners in the rest of the hemisphere who are doing the right thing.”

Following the barbaric attack Hamas perpetrated against Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents in Brazil exploded by more than 1000%. Colombian President Gustavo Petro openly compared the State of Israel to the Nazis. Chilean President Gabriel Boric rejected a gift from the Jewish community of his country, commenting they should instead focus on “returning illegally occupied Palestinian land.”

Acts like these put the lives of Latin American Jews at risk, and Chairwoman Salazar has been at the forefront of shining a light on these attacks, introducing legislation to protect these communities in the United States, and lauding leaders like Argentine President Javier Milei and Dominican President Luis Abinader for reaffirming their nations’ commitment to Israel.

Salazar also praised OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro for his role in standing up for Israel and honored his distinguished chairmanship of one of the most important multilateral organizations in the Western Hemisphere.

To watch Chairwoman Salazar’s full remarks before the Organization of American States, click here.

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