From Argentina’s Javier Milei to El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, Latin‑American voters are turning to extremist right‑wing leaders who use populist rhetoric and decrees to seize power.
Right‑Wing Candidates Across Latin America
In Argentina, libertarian Javier Milei leads the vote; in El Salvador, authoritarian Nayib Bukele dominates; moderate Daniel Noboa holds Ecuador; conservative Santiago Peña runs in Paraguay; along with Rodrigo Chaves in Costa Rica and José Raúl Mulino in Panama. Bolivia is set to join the bloc after a runoff, and upcoming elections in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil may reshape the region’s political map.
Moderate to Radical: The Ideological Spectrum
Mainstream right parties frame themselves as moderate, playing by democratic rules, as Sergio Morresi notes. Two extreme‑right forms exist: a marginal wing that undermines institutions, and a radical populist right that surged since 2017 with José Antonio Kast, Jair Bolsonaro, Nayib Bukele, and Javier Milei. Fabricio Carneiro says this faction moves beyond traditional conservatism.
Authoritarian Populism in Action
Milei governs by decree, vetoing laws, while stretching constitutionally allowed powers and eroding separation of powers. Juan Luis Besoky warns that democracy is under threat, though a direct attack has not yet occurred. Bolsonaro mixes populist rhetoric, conspiracies, anti‑LGBT statements and a disdain for public health measures that killed hundreds of thousands.
Historical Roots and Modern Influences
Historical dictators—El Salvador’s war, Argentina’s military regime, Chile’s Pinochet era—laid a precedent for authoritarian rule. The so‑called “pink wave” of the early 20th‑century improved conditions amid a commodity boom, but later economic decline, corruption and pandemic exposed elites. Populist right leaders now blame “globalism” and “woke” cultures, a sentiment echoed by Bukele, Milei, and Kast.
Digital Mobilization and Public Response
Social media fuels extremist outreach, allowing leaders like Milei to build a Twitter army that disseminates emotive messaging fast. Yet the platforms also host misinformation. Bolsonaro famously claimed that fully vaccinated citizens develop AIDS faster, and Chilean videos portrayed opponent Evelyn Matthei as a “Chilean Joe Biden” with Alzheimer’s. Such tactics galvanize supporters while polarizing society.
