Courtesy of JNS. Photo credit: Courtesy
Participants in CAM’s fifth-annual Latin American Forum Against Antisemitism, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, stand with the forum’s joint declaration, Oct. 13, 2025
(JNS) — The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) concluded its fifth annual Latin American Forum Against Antisemitism in Rio de Janeiro this week, marking what organizers described as a major milestone in the regional fight against Jew-hatred.
Held Oct. 11–14 in partnership with the City of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Israelite Confederation (CONIB) and the Israelite Federation of Rio de Janeiro state, the four-day gathering drew nearly 1,000 lawmakers, diplomats, faith leaders and activists from 18 countries, according to a press release published on Wednesday.
The forum coincided with the release of 20 living Israeli hostages from Gaza — two years after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre — offering participants a moment of reflection and celebration following U.S. President Donald Trump’s address to the Knesset about his Gaza peace plan.
“With profound appreciation for his historic and lifesaving leadership, we thank President Trump for his bold vision and action in securing the ceasefire and working to bring our hostages home,” said CAM’s CEO Sacha Roytman. “President Trump’s courage, moral clarity and unwavering support for Israel and the Jewish people have marked an end to this dark chapter.”
Shay Salamon, CAM’s director of Hispanic Affairs, said, “Although we are experiencing a unique moment now, with the release of the hostages, we must recognize that antisemitism won’t disappear with the end of the war. It will have to be fought with education, empathy and joint action.”
Speakers included Verónica Abad, former vice president of Ecuador; Fernando Lottenberg, Organization of American States antisemitism envoy; and Uruguayan Sen. Javier Garcia, who said, “Antisemitism is not only a Jewish issue, it is an issue for all of us.”
The forum concluded with participants signing a joint declaration urging Latin American governments to adopt the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, condemn Hamas and Iran’s other terrorist proxies, strengthen bilateral ties with Israel and press for the release of the bodies of the remaining hostages still held in Gaza.
“We DEMAND the Iranian regime be held accountable for its global terrorist activities, both past and present, including in Latin America, and we BACK efforts to thwart its nuclear weapons ambitions, which threaten the security and stability of the Middle East and the entire world,” the declaration read.
It added, “We REJECT all attempts to isolate and boycott the State of Israel, and we ENCOURAGE the bolstering of bilateral ties between Latin American countries and Israel in every relevant realm, including diplomacy, security, trade, technology, economic development, agriculture and tourism.”
The declaration noted that CAM’s outreach in Latin America began four years ago, saying that since then “it has worked diligently to build meaningful partnerships and friendships with influential leaders, legislators, diplomats, community organizations, and civil society activists from a diverse assortment of religious, political and cultural backgrounds in the region to combat antisemitism together.”
During this time, it said “CAM en Español has emerged as a key player in the battle against Jew-hatred in Latin America, with a growing coalition involved in impactful activities in countries including Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia, among others.”
A new alliance, Latin American Legislators Against Antisemitism, was launched at the summit, uniting lawmakers from across the region to advance coordinated policies and educational initiatives to confront antisemitism at the national level.
