Sao paolo: Many people in Latin America have been protesting Iran's brutal crackdown on nationwide demonstrations that were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, at the hands of the nation's morality police in September for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly. Mahsa's death sparked the protests.
Women activists in particular have marched and gathered in front of Iranian embassies to protest human rights abuses and repression committed by Tehran.
The fact that hundreds of Iranians are currently facing lengthy prison terms and even death sentences for protesting has sparked demonstrations throughout Latin America.
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On December 19, protesters gathered in front of the Iranian embassy in Mexico's capital.
According to activist Paola Schietekat, who co-organized the protest, "the death sentence handed down against footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani served as the demonstration's catalyst."
However, she added that this was not the only factor. "The lengthy list of people who are currently on death row horrified us. The Iranian government wants its people to understand that they shouldn't be afraid to voice their political opinions.
A Norwegian-based NGO called Human Rights Iran claims that at least 100 people have already received death sentences or charges against them.
In September, a protest was organised in the capital by feminist activists and Iranian immigrants living in Mexico. Some of the participants who were of Iranian descent, according to Schietekat, had issues renewing their documents after being recognised by the embassy's security cameras.
"Now, some of them obviously chose not to attend out of fear of reprisals. For them, it was crucial that we Mexicans demonstrated our solidarity, she continued.
One of the demonstrators, Laura Vazquez, said to Arab News: "I learned about it on social media and decided I should go. It's a worthwhile cause. Today, it's simple for people to'support' a protest without actually attending.
The most important thing, she continued, was simply being there and demonstrating our unity. Iran's issues didn't start in September. These are historic.
Mexico did not participate in the UN vote that led to Iran's expulsion from the body's commission on women's rights in December.
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That, in Schietekat's opinion, was a grave error: "We can't have diplomatic relations with a country that routinely violates human rights, even though the (Mexican) government based its decision on the principle of non-intervention."
On December 19, she claimed, there was a "disproportionate" police presence, but there were no reported incidents.
Argentina has also recently seen some protests, but an online petition opposing Nasr-execution Azadani's has garnered the most attention there.
The campaign was started by Natalia Marcellino and has received 1.8 million votes so far.
"I don't have any specific knowledge of the political climate in Iran. I'm a psychologist who oversees a special needs school for kids. But the news had a big impact on me, so I made a decision to take action, she told Arab News.
"I was taken aback by the petition's overwhelming response. I'm happy to see that we can cooperate and accomplish something. After standing up for Iranian women, Nasr-Azadani now needs our assistance.
Given that more people were interested in football and he is a well-known player, I believe the World Cup may have raised awareness of his case.
Among the athletes who have shown support for Nasr-Azadani are Colombian Radamel Falcao Garcia and Uruguayan football player Luis Suarez.
Border Wars: Iran's Terror Haven in Latin America was a report released in 2021 by the Arab News Research and Studies unit. It noted that since the 1979 Iranian revolution, the Islamic Republic had worked hard to fortify its ties with Latin American nations while also looking for political allies among the region's leftist governments that shared its animosity toward the US.
The report examined the dubious activities and operations carried out by Iran and its proxies, such as Hezbollah, in the Tri-Border Area in general and Paraguay in particular. It also shed light on the nature of the political and economic cooperation between Iran and Paraguay.
According to Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri, a political analyst and expert in international relations, Fernando Lugo, a prominent figure in Paraguayan politics and religion, paid a historic visit to Iran in the 1990s. Tehran reciprocated by supporting Lugo's successful presidential campaign in 2008, a move that was seen as a gift.
In contrast to Iran's relations with other Latin American nations, he wrote, "the two countries' diplomatic and economic relations nevertheless remained somewhat modest."
"However, in the years following its designation as a target of international sanctions, Iran realised the need for a safe haven for its illicit activities that was hidden from the public eye and shielded from legal repercussions.
"It discovered the perfect staging ground for its illegal operations in some Latin American countries, particularly in the region known as the Tri-Border Area, which includes Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. Numerous investigations have revealed that Iran is closely watching activities like money laundering, terrorist training, and the smuggling of drugs and arms in this border region.
In the present, important political figures in Latin America are denouncing Iran's oppression. On December 18, Colombian President Gustavo Petro congratulated Argentina on winning the World Cup on Twitter and pleaded with Iran not to interfere.
In recent months, Colombia has supported criticism of Iran in the international sphere. Colombia's decision to expel Iran from the UN agency for women's rights drew a formal complaint from Tehran to that country. The death of Amini was blamed on Iran by Chilean President Gabriel Boric in his speech to the UN General Assembly in September. Following the developments in Iran, feminist movements in Chile have organised a number of protests against the government.
