Iranian Authoritarian Architecture and the Projection of the ‘Axis of Resistance’ in Latin America

Abstract

This article analyzes the mechanisms that the Islamic Republic of Iran has employed to exert influence over authoritarian regimes and left-wing governments in Latin America. Drawing on three theoretical frameworks, including soft power theory, proxy network theory, and propaganda theory, this article examines the modus operandi of the Iranian regime in the region, addressing three key dimensions, public diplomacy and soft power, proxy networks, and propaganda and disinformation on social media. Likewise, the text draws on a historical and prosopographical methodology, grounded in academic and journalistic sources, to uncover the architecture of Iranian influence in the region from 2000 to the recent transformations resulting from the detention of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and "Operation Epic Fury" in 2026.