The LRB Podcast On Politics: Latin America’s Right-Wing Shift
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Nov 12, 2025 Tony Wood, a modern political historian, and Camila Vergara, a critical legal theorist, delve into Latin America's political landscape. They explore the collapse of left-wing governments from the Pink Tide and the emergence of right-wing leaders like Milei and Bukele. Their discussion reveals how neoliberal roots shaped these shifts, the impact of a commodity boom on redistribution, and the rise of a reactionary right exploiting media and voter discontent. They also touch on state violence and the potential for revolutionary change amidst current turmoil.
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Pink Tide Was A Plural Phenomenon
- The Pink Tide was a provisional, plural formation united mainly by opposition to neoliberalism rather than by ideological coherence.
- Its variants arose from different national contexts and party structures, making a single narrative misleading.
Commodity Boom Enabled Redistribution
- The commodity boom was an enabling condition that funded redistribution and expanded consumption during the Pink Tide.
- Once commodities declined, austerity pressures exposed political limits and shifted elite calculations against redistributive policies.
Right-Wing Strongmen Mirror The Pink Tide
- New right-wing leaders share rhetorical styles, parallel media ecosystems, and anti-systemic appeal despite differing origins.
- They often act as a 'twisted mirror' of the Pink Tide, promising breakage while reinforcing market orthodoxy.