Exclusive to TML: US Mulls Sanctions on Chile as Santiago Signals Possible Break With Israel The Media Line has learned that Trump’s administration was considering multiple punitive measures after Chile withdrew its military attachés from Tel Aviv over the Gaza war By Gabriel Colodro/The Media Line The US is weighing a series of retaliatory measures […]
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The Media Line: US Mulls Sanctions on Chile as Santiago Signals Possible Break With Israel (Exclusive to TML)
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Exclusive to TML: US Mulls Sanctions on Chile as Santiago Signals Possible Break With Israel
The Media Line has learned that Trump’s administration was considering multiple punitive measures after Chile withdrew its military attachés from Tel Aviv over the Gaza war
By Gabriel Colodro/The Media Line
The US is weighing a series of retaliatory measures against Chile in response to the Boric government’s deteriorating ties with Israel, The Media Line has learned from a source within President Donald Trump’s administration. The warning comes after Chile withdrew its military attachés from Tel Aviv, citing Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza. The Chilean president is expected to address the issue during his high-profile Cuenta Pública speech on Sunday, raising the possibility of a full diplomatic rupture.
According to the source, “everything is on the table.” Among the options being discussed in Washington: canceling Chile’s participation in the US Visa Waiver Program, increasing tariffs on Chilean exports, suspending student visa interviews, and even closing the US consulate in Santiago.
Chile is currently the only country in the Southern Cone of South America included in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows Chilean citizens to travel to the US without a visa for short stays. Ending that privilege would mark a significant diplomatic step.
The Media Line has learned that the US is prepared to adopt measures as severe as those taken with Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, who severed ties with Israel earlier this year.
“The United States will stand with the Jewish people,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a May 28 speech at the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism, hosted by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. “We have implemented a vigorous new visa policy that will prevent foreign nationals from coming to the United States to foment hatred against our Jewish community.”
On Tuesday, Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense jointly announced the withdrawal of the country’s military, defense, and air attachés from its embassy in Israel. The move was justified on humanitarian grounds, with the government accusing Israel of “disproportionate and indiscriminate” military actions in Gaza and blocking aid to civilians.
Boric, in office since 2022, has increasingly distanced Chile from Israel. His administration delayed the accreditation of the Israeli ambassador in its first year and barred Israeli companies from participating in the 2024 FIDAE aerospace fair. In November 2023, Chile recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv, leaving the post unfilled.
Chilean media reports suggest Boric could use his Cuenta Pública—a nationally broadcast address before Congress on June 2—to announce a complete break in diplomatic ties with Israel. While such a move remains speculative, analysts say it would mark a major realignment in Chile’s foreign policy.
Some South American governments have grown closer to Iran in recent months, including Bolivia, which reportedly signed new weapons deals with Tehran. A Chilean break with Israel would deepen that trend and could strain relations with Western allies.
Chile’s Foreign Ministry, in its official statement, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to international humanitarian law and called for unfettered humanitarian access to Gaza.
The situation remains fluid ahead of Boric’s speech.