The traditional pro-Western stance of most Latin American states has proven to be politically and economically advantageous to Israel, as they have tended to be more sympathetic to Israel in the UN than African or Asian countries. They have also been more willing to maintain economic and military relations with Israel. Although Latin American states are primarily Roman Catholic and follow the Vatican's position favoring the internationalization of Jerusalem, Israel has obtained crude oil from Mexico, it maintains a lucrative arms trade with Argentina and other countries, and it has assisted Latin American regimes in their counterinsurgency efforts against Cuban and Nicaraguan-supported guerrillas.
Data as of December 1988