US pressures Bolivia and Latin American allies to designate IRGC and proxies as terrorists

The United States is intensifying pressure on Bolivia and several other Latin American nations to deport suspected Iranian intelligence operatives and formally designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.

According to a report by Reuters, Washington is also urging the government in La Paz to designate Hezbollah and Hamas—groups the US views as Tehran’s primary proxies—as terrorist entities.

Following an operation in early January allegedly aimed at capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, US officials pressured the government of Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to curb economic and security cooperation between Caracas and Tehran.

When asked for comment on the matter, the Bolivian Foreign Ministry stated that “a definitive position on this issue has not yet been established.”

Bolivia, a landlocked nation of 12 million situated in the heart of South America, may not immediately appear to be a likely theater for a proxy war between global powers. However, current and former US officials contend that the country has become a strategic hub for Iran’s diplomatic and intelligence operations across the continent.

This is attributed in part to what US officials describe as a “permissive counter-intelligence environment,” as well as Bolivia’s shared borders with multiple nations that have allegedly been targets of Hezbollah “conspiracy attempts” in recent years.

Rick de la Torre, a retired senior CIA official and former Caracas station chief, noted that while Venezuela serves as the primary base for Iran’s diplomatic and intelligence apparatus in Latin America, other nations have played supporting roles.

Bolivia and Nicaragua, both of which have maintained strained relations with Washington, have reportedly served as “secondary nodes” for Tehran in the region over the last several years.

“[Bolivia’s] value to Tehran was its permissive political climate, lighter oversight, and central geography,” de la Torre said. “In practice, the pattern seen in Latin America is that Iran and Hezbollah utilize the most permissive jurisdictions as hubs, then quietly expand into more capable or high-value neighboring countries.”

Evo Morales, who served as Bolivia’s president from 2006 to 2019, significantly deepened ties with Iran during his tenure, including cooperation on defense and security matters. Morales frequently argued that both nations were unified in a common struggle against “US imperialism.”

Both Morales and Luis Arce, who served as president from 2020 until late last year, were viewed by US officials as leaders who resisted efforts to distance La Paz from Tehran.

However, US officials now believe they have a unique opportunity following the October election of centrist Rodrigo Paz. His victory ended nearly two decades of almost uninterrupted rule by the leftist MAS party.

Inheriting significant economic turmoil and a contentious legislature, the Paz administration is seeking to repair relations with Washington while incentivizing private investment.

US officials publicly welcomed Paz’s election. In December, the US designated Bolivia as eligible for grants managed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent US government agency.

Sources indicated that the pressure campaign regarding Iran in Bolivia is part of a broader US initiative across the region.

In September, Ecuador, a US ally, designated the IRGC, Hamas, and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations. Last week, Argentina followed suit by designating the Quds Force as a terrorist entity. Sources confirmed that the US supported both moves.

While efforts to create a geopolitical rift between Iran and Latin America are not new, there are clear signs that these maneuvers are accelerating. Sources stated that a delegation of State Department and intelligence officials traveled to La Paz this month to discuss the identification of “potential terrorist organizations.”

Officials added that US authorities have also discussed these designations with Chile, Peru, and Panama, though it remains unclear if formal talks have commenced with those specific governments.

US officials allege that Hezbollah maintains a presence in all of these countries, noting that they are all currently led by presidents or presidential candidates aligned with US interests.

The Panamanian Foreign Ministry stated it has not discussed the matter with US officials. The Chilean Foreign Ministry declined to comment on potential discussions with other nations but noted that Chile adheres to the United Nations list of terrorist organizations.

While US officials generally maintain that Hezbollah has a permanent presence in Latin America, there is significant debate within the intelligence community regarding the extent of its influence.

Some analysts describe the group’s regional fundraising as “well-organized and hierarchical.” Conversely, others argue that some financial activities attributed to Hezbollah are actually legitimate donations and remittances from the large Lebanese diaspora in Latin America, which may inadvertently reach individuals linked to the group.

“In my view, Hezbollah leadership does not micro-manage every criminal scheme, but they authorize and benefit from a global facilitation structure that includes Latin America,” de la Torre said.