Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu being interviewed on CTV. Photo: Screenshot / CTV.

JNS.org – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning a rare visit to Colombia and Mexico in April, in an effort to bolster economic ties with the Latin American Pacific Alliance free-trade bloc.

In recent days, Netanyahu spoke with the leaders of the Pacific Alliance countries—Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Chile—and Israel has been granted membership in the trade bloc as an observer state, Israel Hayom reported.

Netanyahu accepted the invitations of both Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to visit their respective countries.

The Pacific Alliance countries are considered pro-United States, anti-Iran, and friendly toward Israel. Among Netanyahu’s goals for the visit is to strengthen ties between Israel and Hispanic communities, both those in their home countries and those in the U.S.