When coming up with ideas for thrillers in books and movies, all I have to do is research into the real world of derring-do, spies, terrorism and geopolitics. Sadly, the real world does not disappoint me. The recent 'snatch and grab' of corrupt cartel affiliated President Maduro of Venezuela is an example. I knew about Hezbollah's reach into South America, specifically Venezuela, but found these items in a 2013 US Congressional report. 2013! That means probably 15 to almost 20 years ago it started.

(Bold and Underline are mine).

Hezbollah is responsible for plots and activities
throughout the world: Attempted assassination of Israeli
diplomats in New Delhi and India, February 2012; potential
involvement in the bombing of an Israeli diplomat in Tbilisi,
Georgia, February 2012; storing over 8,000 pounds of explosive
material in a warehouse in Thailand, uncovered in January of
this year; attempted assassination of Israeli targets in
Bangkok in February of this year; attempted laundering of
approximately $70 million from Venezuela to Germany in January
2013; running training camps and international narcotics
smuggling operations in Venezuela, Bolivia, Honduras,
Nicaragua, and even Mexico; suicide bombing of a bus of Israeli
tourists in Bulgaria in July 2012.

And also the training camps spread out from Nicaragua down to Paraguay. I've read about the very dangerous area where Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil geographically join together.

As to Latin America, the United Nations Security Council
approved the first round of U.N. sanctions in 2006. Ahmadinejad
embarked on a tour of Latin America to try to emerge as a
leader of anti-Americanism not only in Venezuela, but also
Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. Hezbollah and Iran have
expanded their operations in Latin America, especially fund-
raising for illicit activities. This subcommittee and others,
and the full committee, have focused on how Hezbollah has been
involved in the tri-border region where Paraguay, Brazil, and
Argentina come together. An extensive smuggling network there
run by Hezbollah funnels large sums of money and there have
been reports of training camps in the region.
They have been able to cultivate ties to narcotraffickers
and other criminal enterprises and even the government
officials. And as they engage in narcotics activity, they are
able to combine the true believer dedication of some of their
operatives with the lucrative opportunities provided by the
drug trade.

RESOURCES:

https://www.congress.gov/event/113th-congress/house-event/LC20/text