Written by: Posted: July 10, 2011 On Thursday, July 7, 2011 the Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Counter-terrorism and Intelligence held a hearing entitled “Hezbollah in Latin America – Implications for U.S. Homeland Security.” The committee is chaired by Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA). Hezbollah continues to expand its presence in Central and South American taking advantage of its already close relationship with Venezuela’s despot Presidente Hugo Chavez, according to Meehan’s hearings. This was not the first time U.S. Senators from both parties were warned about Latin America’s vulnerability to radical Islam. In 2007, the Bush Administration’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine General Peter Pace, warned members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that elements of radical Islamic groups were active in South America recruiting and training terrorists. Pace mentioned Hezbollah and al-Qaeda, yet the Democrat-controlled Senate ignored Gen. Pace’s warning. Congressman King and others described a close relationship between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They have had at least nine visits during Chavez’s 12 years in office. Fraser said the alliance remains largely for diplomatic and commercial purposes but said there still were too many unknowns. There have also been intelligence reports that allege the Iranian-supported terrorist group Hezbollah, is also a prime employer in Latin America. Security experts have stated that the ties between the countries of Venezuela and Iran are based on several shared interests, such as access to military and petroleum technologies and avoiding international isolation. Hezbollah’s growing influence in Latin America is a “potential risk” to the region, according to Rep. Meehan.