UN and US Officials Warn of Rising Antisemitism in Chile, Urge Government to Act
The United Nations and the United States have both raised concerns about a growing wave of antisemitism in Chile, calling on the government of President Gabriel Boric to respond more decisively to threats against the country’s Jewish community.
In a formal communication sent to President Boric in March and made public in June, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Nazila Ghanea warned of “a possible increase in antisemitic incidents” following the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023. Ghanea’s letter documented a pattern of vandalism, harassment, and threats targeting synagogues and Jewish cultural events, including graffiti in Concepción and Santiago accusing Jews of supporting “genocide in Palestine.” Security personnel at Hanukkah celebrations in multiple cities reported receiving threats, while Jewish individuals have faced verbal abuse and intimidation.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
Ghanea also criticized the Chilean authorities for failing to advance investigations or publicly condemn antisemitic acts. “The lack of accountability could foster a culture of impunity,” she warned. She further noted that public officials’ reluctance to support Jewish cultural practices, such as lighting menorahs in public spaces, contributes to a climate of exclusion.
The US State Department echoed these concerns in its 2024 religious freedom report, pointing to a marked increase in antisemitic rhetoric online and in cities such as Temuco and Concepción. A separate study by the Jewish Progressive Center tracked a rise in both physical and verbal attacks on Chilean Jews throughout the past year.
Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged receipt of the UN letter. Tomás Pascual, director of the ministry’s Human Rights Division, stated the government is reviewing the allegations and reaffirmed Chile’s commitment to upholding international human rights standards.
