Open AccessRight-wing populism and the mainstreaming of protests: The case of Colombia
Author(s) -
Fabio Andrés Díaz Pabón
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
res. revista española de sociología/revista española de sociología
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.273
H-Index - 9
eISSN - 2445-0367
pISSN - 1578-2824
DOI - 10.22325/fes/res.2020.81
Subject(s) - populism , politics , normalization (sociology) , right wing , political economy , mainstreaming , political science , extreme right , law , sociology , social science , special education
Unlike other Latin American countries, Colombia has consistently been governed by centre-right or right-wing political parties. The absence of political space for the Left in this country allowed governments to portray protests as subversive and criminal. However, starting in 2008, right-wing politicians have embraced, supported and used the protest as a tactic; undertaking, calling for, and giving support to various protest movements across the country. This has had an unexpected consequence: right-wing parties, government institutions, and even some sectors within the security and armed forces now see protests as valid and normal. Drawing on a brief historical analysis of protest movements in Colombia since 1948, and particularly after 2002, this article argues that to understand the recent normalization of this form of political expression we should look at changes in the dynamics of competition within the Right.