Bolivia has decided to sever diplomatic ties with the State of Israel “in response to the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip,” Deputy Foreign Minister Freddy Mamani said at a press conference on Thursday.
Minister of the Presidency, Maria Nela Prada, also announced that the country would send humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The government of leftist Luis Arce is the first in Latin America to cut ties with Israel since the divisive conflict erupted on October 7 with Hamas attacks that killed more than 1,400 people, according to Israeli authorities.
Bolivia only announced it was restoring ties with Israel in 2019, a decade after they were cut over previous attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Israel is facing a backlash for its continued bombings and ground operations in Gaza after a number of Latin American countries registered diplomatic protests against Tel Aviv.
Chile and Columbia recalled their ambassadors from Israel while Brazil’s president criticised the continued airstrikes on Gaza.
Chile’s president, Gabriel Boric said he had recalled his country’s ambassador in Tel Aviv to discuss the “unacceptable violations of international humanitarian law” being committed in Gaza.
Israel, for its part, criticised the decision of Bolivia, calling it “a surrender to terrorism and to the Ayatollah’s regime in Iran.”
Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said by taking the step, Bolivia was aligning itself with the Hamas terrorist organisation.
