Israel and Bolivia restore full diplomatic relations after hiatus due to Gaza War

Israel and Bolivia have renewed full diplomatic relations. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and his Bolivian counterpart, Fernando Aramayo, signed an agreement to re-establish relations at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.

Bolivian Minister of Finance and Economy José Gabriel Espinoza also attended the event.

“The countries look forward to the renewal of ties between their peoples, including a rediscovery of the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Holy Land by Bolivians, and Israelis returning to explore the breathtaking natural beauty, rich cultural traditions, and warm hospitality of Bolivia,” the agreement stated.

“Aware of the historic opportunity to join in a shared effort to promote a more stable, secure, and prosperous future for the benefit of both peoples, they aspire to renew full diplomatic relations, friendship, and cooperation.”

Sa’ar said in his speech: “Today, we are ending a long and unnecessary chapter of disconnect between our two nations. We agreed to restore full diplomatic relations and to appoint ambassadors in the near future. We exchanged mutual invitations for government and private-sector representatives. We will visit each other’s countries to explore new opportunities for cooperation. The two foreign ministries will maintain an ongoing dialogue on bilateral, regional, and multilateral issues."

"Our goal is to strengthen and deepen relations in many areas. Following the cancellation of the visa requirement for Israeli tourists, I know that thousands of Israelis will once again visit this beautiful country every year. This will help strengthen the human bridge between our peoples.”

“Strengthening relations with Latin American countries is a central objective of my foreign policy for 2026,” Sa’ar declared. “I have just visited Argentina and Paraguay. Renewing and rebuilding relations with Bolivia is a cornerstone of this policy. Today, Israel and Bolivia are opening a new chapter in their relations.”

Earlier this week, Sa’ar announced the renewal of relations, stating that Bolivia has undergone a “political change” in the recent elections that made the move possible.

“I spoke with the new president the day after he was elected. Before him, there was a very left-wing government, connected to Iran and other problematic actors, which, among other things, severed relations with the State of Israel. Tomorrow I will meet their foreign minister and we will sign the renewal of relations,” he said.

In the October elections, Rodrigo Paz Pereira, a center-right candidate, won the election after receiving about 54.5% of the vote in the second round against Jorge Quiroga. For the first time in 20 years, a candidate from the left, part of former president Evo Morales’ Movement for Socialism party, did not make it to the decisive round.

Diplomatic relations between Israel and Bolivia were established in the 1950s, but were severed several times due to Bolivia’s opposition to Israeli military operations. The most recent break occurred at the start of the Gaza War in October 2023, after relations had previously been restored in 2019.

“I see the beginning of change in Latin America. There is a trend of change, and it is very important for the United States, but also for Israel, because those who are friends of the United States are usually friends of Israel as well,” Sa’ar added.

“We will invest major efforts in establishing and deepening our relations in South America. I will also add that the Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica is currently in Jerusalem to sign a free trade agreement. They will open an innovation office with diplomatic status in Jerusalem. Ecuador has done the same. Argentina will open an embassy in Israel this coming spring. Paraguay did so a year ago. There is much progress in many fields, and we will continue this.”