The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has stepped up activities around the world to revive its diaspora constituencies, which had in recent years lost faith in the organization and its leadership.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent Husam Zomlot, his star ambassador and representative in Washington, to represent him at the Congress of the Confederation of Palestinian Communities in Latin America and the Caribbean (COPLAC). The gathering, held Oct. 20-22 in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua, was attended by the host country’s foreign minister, Denis Moncada Colindres, and Palestinian representatives from across Latin America.

The COPLAC meeting comes after bitter disputes over the independence of diaspora institutions and the shifting of diaspora affairs from the PLO to the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. The switch took effect May 24.

Zomlot, who heads the PLO delegation in Washington, told Al-Monitor that he was impressed by the character and depth of the Palestinians in Latin America. “Even though they have been fully integrated into their new communities, they are enthusiastically committed to Palestine and support the Palestinian cause.”