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NEWS
Latin American Jewish Congress Shows Solidarity for
Venezuela Jews
by Yated Ne'eman Staff
The plight of Venezuelan Jews is the worst in the world
besides that of Iranian Jews, World Jewish Congress Secretary-
General Stephen Herbits told the JTA. "Outside the Arab
world, this is the most troubled place in the world for
Jews," Herbits said while visiting Caracas for a meeting of
the Latin American Jewish Congress. "The situation is not yet
desperate here, but they certainly have to be very alert."
Seventy Jewish leaders from the US, Canada, France, Spain,
Israel and South America countries attended the meeting,
which was timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of
CAIV, the umbrella organization of the Venezuelan Jewish
community, saying they came to show solidarity with the Jews
of Venezuela.
Claudio Epelman, assistant director of the Latin American
Jewish Congress, said the issue of Iran dominated a closed-
door session. She said Iran is strengthening its economic and
political ties with Venezuela, along with Ecuador and
Nicaragua.
Hugo Chavez, the left-wing Venezuelan president, recently
signed $17 billion worth of bilateral trade and economic
cooperation agreements, many in the oil sector. Today Chavez
is one of the closest allies of Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, who denies the Holocaust. In recent months
Chavez has voiced vehement criticism of Israel and has made
remarks some commentators interpreted as antisemitic.
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