Russia and a bunch of middle east countries are all heavily involved in South American affairs, to the point where Americas lack of stake in the game, especially compared to its past, is embarrassing. This is all done through illegal stuff, like the Russian mafia setting up camp in some country down there and then taking out totally not real actions on behalf of the Russian government. Real cloak and dagger shit and what espionage is really all about, just a government back door into the underworld of organized crime.

Middle East countries are really good at this in South America, much more than people realize, and especially Iran. Hezbollah, Irans proxy militia, is like the world leading organization in coke distribution. The Venezuelan government is too and so are their friends in Colombia, FARC (the communist terrorist group that makes all its money through cocaine) Iran and Venezuela are both international pariah and work with each other through shit like illegal arms and drug sells.

This is a really good article on it.