A global wave of antisemitism is reaching alarming new levels, with Jewish communities around the world reporting a sharp rise in incidents. A special review conducted by the Antisemitism Research Center (ARC) of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) recorded 13,339 antisemitic incidents worldwide between Oct. 7, 2023 and Oct. 1, 2025.
According to the data, the final three months of 2023 — following Hamas’ deadly terror attack on Israel — saw 1,785 antisemitic incidents, nearly matching the total number recorded for all of 2022. In 2024, 6,326 incidents were recorded, more than double the number in 2023. In just the first nine months of 2025 alone, 5,118 incidents were reported.
Against this backdrop, CAM recently held the Latin America Summit Against Antisemitism in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The annual conference, now in its fifth year, was convened to address the urgent need to counter the surge in Jew-hatred, develop region-specific strategies and promote innovative approaches to combating antisemitism across Latin America.
The summit was held in partnership with the City of Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian Jewish Confederation (CONIB) and the Jewish Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FIERJ). It drew around 1,000 participants, including local leaders, mayors, policymakers, civil society and faith representatives, Jewish activists and delegates from 18 countries across South and Central America.
The conference took place despite the ongoing diplomatic rift between Israel and Brazil. In recent months, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government blocked Israel’s appointment of a new ambassador amid tensions over the war in Gaza. Earlier this year, Lula accused Israel of committing genocide and compared its actions in Gaza to the Holocaust, prompting Israel to declare him a persona non grata.
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Some of the participants in the conference in Rio de Janeiro
(Photo: Courtesy of the Combat Antisemitism Movement)
During the summit, participants signed a joint declaration committing to proactive measures against antisemitism and terrorism. The statement called on governments, public institutions and civil organizations across Latin America to adopt strong policies, including legislation, to address the spike in antisemitism since Oct. 7, 2023.
In their joint declaration, summit participants also expressed solidarity with Israel and affirmed its right to self-defense against the Iranian regime and its proxies, including Hamas — responsible, they said, for “the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust” — as well as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
The declaration further stated: “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 statement also rejected all efforts to isolate or boycott Israel and called for strengthening bilateral ties between Israel and Latin American countries in areas such as diplomacy, security, trade, technology, economic development, agriculture and tourism. During the summit, a new regional group — “Latin American Legislators Against Antisemitism” — was officially launched.
“What happened on October 7th cannot be forgotten," said Shay Salamon, CAM Director of Hispanic Affairs. "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.”
He emphasized the symbolic importance of holding the summit in Rio de Janeiro, which on Nov. 3, 2023, became the first city in the world to officially adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. The city also designated October 7 as “Antisemitism Awareness Day” — a move few municipalities worldwide have made.
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Shay Salamon, director of Hispanic Affairs at the Combat Antisemitism Movement
(Photo: Courtesy of the Combat Antisemitism Movement)
“On the other hand,” Salamon added, “Brazil has seen an alarming surge in antisemitic incidents over the past year. Amid the troubling rise in antisemitic rhetoric and violence around the world, it is more important than ever for allies of the Jewish people and the State of Israel to rally together in a united show of solidarity. The message of this summit is loud and clear — hate and discrimination have no home here in Latin America, and the Jews of the region do not stand alone.”
CAM CEO Sacha Roytman echoed that message, saying the organization has worked intensively in Latin America for several years, building "meaningful partnerships and friendships with influential leaders, legislators, diplomats, community organizations, and civil society activists."
“We’ve achieved significant progress in many countries, including Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia, among others,” Roytman said. “But antisemitism is a daily, ongoing battle, and much more needs to be done to restore the sense of safety that Jewish communities lost on October 7.”
He said the summit delivered a strong message of unity and joint action against antisemitism, hatred, violence and terror. “I hope the message from Latin America will echo across the globe and inspire similar declarations and efforts on other continents,” he said.
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The conference was held in Brazil, whose president has spoken out strongly against Israel
(Photo: Courtesy of the Combat Antisemitism Movement)
Uruguayan Senator Javier Garcia, a former defense minister, told the summit that “antisemitism is not only a Jewish issue, it is an issue for all of us. We will see a change in our society when forums or spaces like this begin to be organized by non-Jews, because antisemitism strikes at what is most dear to freedom — that everyone can express their ideas, their beliefs, their faith, with freedom and tolerance.”
The conference was particularly notable for taking place in Brazil, whose president has made harsh statements against Israel. Participants included Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes; former Vice President of Ecuador Verónica Abad; Fernando Lottenberg, the Organization of American States’ special envoy for antisemitism; Pilar Rahola, chair of CAM’s Latin America advisory board and a prominent voice in support of Israel’s right to self-defense; Dr. Franco Fiumara, a criminal court judge in Argentina; Washington Abdala, former speaker of Uruguay’s House of Representatives and its ambassador to the OAS; and numerous other senior officials.