Democracy in Tension: Populism, Human Rights and Authoritarianism in Latin America

This panel examines the new tensions emerging in contemporary democracy in Latin America, with a special emphasis on the impact of populism and autocratic tendencies at the national and subnational levels. As populist leaders reconfigure the public sphere and redefine political communication, the implications for human rights and democratic freedoms become increasingly critical. Social polarization and the use of poverty as a tool of control are phenomena that weaken democratic foundations and reveal the limitations of traditional models to face current challenges. Likewise, it will analyze how the restriction of the political offer and the use of power at the subnational level foster governance that moves away from democratic principles and instead favors practices that limit political participation and plurality. The panel invites reflection on the impact of these practices on social cohesion and the future of democratic institutions in the region, proposing theoretical frameworks and solutions that allow rethinking the role of democracy in crisis contexts.