A delegation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry arrived on Tuesday in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, for talks with senior government officials following the resumption of relations between the countries two months ago.
The members of the delegation met with the President of Bolivia, the Foreign Minister and other senior officials, and agreed on cooperation between the countries in various areas.
Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz said, "I welcome the visit of the first official delegation to Bolivia and the collaborations decided upon during the visit. Renewing relations with Bolivia will contribute to the strengthening of Israel's foreign relations and status in the world."
"The Foreign Ministry will continue to strengthen ties with Latin America as it did in renewing relations with Bolivia, in the transfer of the Guatemalan Embassy and the Honduran and Brazilian Trade Offices to Jerusalem, and in the recognition of Argentina, Colombia, Paraguay, Guatemala and Honduras of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization," the statement added.
Bolivia's Foreign Minister Karen Longaric announced two months ago that the country intends to renew its diplomatic relations with Israel, which were severed by former President Evo Morales in 2009. The move was welcomed by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Morales resigned on November 10 following weeks of unrest over a disputed election that he had claimed to win. He then fled to Mexico.
Bolivia broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in 2009 over a military operation in Gaza. In 2014, Morales described Israel as a “terrorist state” due to its counterterrorism Operation Protective Edge in Gaza.