Chile has a population of roughly 20 Million people at the time of writing this post. It is considered a developed country and is borderline first world.
Except for the period of Allende and Pinochet, Chile has a history of being a stable republic. Today, it has a high freedom index. Chile also has a growing Evangelical population, which are often Zionist in outlook.
It’s influence in Latin America cannot be underestimated.
However, roughly 500,000 of its population is Palestinian in origin (~2.5%), and they are very prosperous and embedded in politics. They have so much sway that they have altered Chile’s politics regarding Israel. Even otherwise conservative politicians have to pay homage to the Palestinian cause.
The video below shows the cultural power and influence of just one aspect of the Palestinian-Chileans: Their football team. The video also mentions Sebastian Piñera – a former conservative president and politician – who had to pay them proper homage (see 1:04 in video) by recognizing the state of Palestine during his administration.
Posted on YouTube: June 21, 2024
Many, even Jews, have noticed that the power of Chilean Palestinians (Chilestinos) corresponds to that of the Jews in America.
Posted on YouTube: December 9, 2023
Source: Police in Chile guard Jews after anti-Semitic attacks
By Gil Stern, Stern Shefler
August 18, 2010
Jerusalem Post“The Palestinian community is to Chile what the Jewish community is to the US,” [The president of Chile’s Jewish community, Gabriel] Zaliasnik explained.
So a key to weakening Iranian influence in Latin America is to defang the power of the Chilestino community.
Would it even be possible? The Chilestino community is 99% Christian (usually Eastern Orthodox Christian or Roman Catholic). Even though they tend to identify with the Palestinian cause, their Christian identity might be a tool to bring them to a reconsideration of their support towards what is now a Muslim cause in the Mideast.
Daunting though it may be, the Evangelicals of Chile should put denominational differences aside and reach out to the Chilestinos. Maybe they can get them to ease up a bit.