Latin America attracted settlers from various European countries, including Russia. Russian immigrants settled not only in large countries like Brazil and Argentina before the revolution, but also in Uruguay.

In the late 19th century, Vasily Lubkov, a follower of the teachings of the Khlysts, proclaimed himself the "living god" and "king of the 20th century." Due to persecution, his followers decided to emigrate to America. Lubkov managed to interest the president of Uruguay and negotiate financial support for resettlement, as the country needed colonists for agricultural development.

In 1913, 1300 Russian Khlysts from the sect "New Israel" settled in the city of San Javier and its surroundings. Notably, they were the first to cultivate sunflowers in Uruguay, which originally came to Europe from the New World. They also became the first in South America to grow buckwheat and flax. The "Lubkovites" managed to create a model colony, but its fate turned out to be tragic.

Lubkov was a mysterious figure. Confident in his uniqueness, he foresaw the future and, as they say, predicted the rise of the Bolsheviks to power back in 1913. After the revolution, he began correspondence with Lenin and attracted some of his followers back to Russia. There, the Khlysts managed to establish several model communes in the 1920s, but in the 1930s they were liquidated, and the leaders of "New Israel," including Lubkov himself, were shot.

Some of Lubkov's followers decided to stay in Uruguay. The colonists of San Javier preserved many traditions of agricultural culture, Russian national dishes, as well as the Khlysts' characteristic rejection of alcohol and tobacco. Until the onset of the reactionary policies of local authorities in 1973, San Javier was 40% Russian-speaking.