This has nothing to do with Arabs in Latin America, but Iquique is about 15% Arab, so possibly some of the cast in this video are Palestinian-Chileans.
Anyhow, it is a break.
I think this is one of the silliest fads to hit the world.
Author: Latin Arabia
From 2009 – Cast Lead Protest in Chile
Posted on YouTube: February 27, 2012
This was a project of the Palestinian Youth and local Humanists in Iquique, Chile.
Iquique is about 15% Arab by demographics, most of them Palestinian-Chileans.
No translation is really necessary. They applaud the courage of the Palestinians in Gaza, and call for Israel to stop 'the Genocide.'
The video was posted on YouTube on February 27, 2012, a full three years after the protest – which took place in 2009.
But it is of interest.
You can see these anti-Israel protests all over the world, many times.
What makes Chile interesting is that Chile has a major Palestinian demographic.
What makes it even more interesting is that the Palestinians of Chile are about 99% Christian, and seem to ignore the Islamicist component of the struggle in the Mideast.
Dance with Candles – Ballet of Arab Dances
This comes from Salamanca, Chile, and was posted on YouTube, April 9, 2013 by Ducle Zahira
Interesting.
Salamanca is sort of in the North of chile. Sort of a small town.
Fiesta of Lebanese Independence in Uruguay
Celebrating Lebanese Independence in Downtown Montevideo, Uruguay
The Lebanese are about 2% of the Uruguay’s population, but they have already produced a Vice-President, Alberto Abdala.
Almost all are from Maronite Catholic stock.
Again, as noted, depending on the country, Maronite Catholics are often 45-65% of the Arab ethnic community in Latin American countries. (Chile and Honduras are noteable exceptions)
In Uruguay, Maronites are almost all the Arabs.
Where the Maronites predominate, they are a moderating influence.
When they came to Latin America, because the Maronites are a branch of Roman Catholicism, they fit in well with Catholic Latin America.
When they came to Latin America, some Maronites spoke French, which is a Latin language similar to Spanish and Portuguese making the transition easier.
Historically, Lebanese Maronites have intermarried with the Crusaders, Romans, etc. making them partly European in genetics. They tend to be fairer, and have slightly higher rates of fair eyes than most other Arabs. Outwardly, they could pass for European.
They considered themselves an outpost of Western Civilization in the Mideast. They felt closer to the French than neighboring Arab Muslims.
Maronite Catholics often considered themselves Phoenician not Arab, even though they speak Arabic.
This has caused friction with the Lebanese Muslims who do consider themselves Arabic.
So the Maronite Catholics blended in well with South Americans, and all the other Arabs had to play catch up with them.
They are very moderate concerning Mideast politics. Where they predominate, there will not be much anti-Israel polemics.
In Chile, where Palestinian-Christian predominate among the Arab community, Arab ethnic politics can get ugly.