HEGEMONIC DISPUTE AND LIMITS OF LIBERAL DEMOCRACY IN LATIN AMERICA: NEOLIBERALISM, POPULISM, AND THE RECONFIGURATION OF THE RIGHT

Abstract

This article analyzes recent transformations in ideological disputes in Latin America through a theoretical approach grounded in the concept of hegemony. The study begins from the hypothesis that liberal democracy does not operate as a fully neutral institutional arena for political-ideological competition. Instead, hegemonic structures shape the possibilities of political action within contemporary democratic systems. The analysis combines insights from critical political theory — particularly the works of Antonio Gramsci, Ernesto Laclau, and Wendy Brown — with recent scholarship on democratic crisis and institutional erosion. Methodologically, the article relies on a literature review and interpretative analysis of political processes that have taken place in Latin America over the past decades. The study argues that although the region has experienced cycles of alternation between progressive and conservative governments, these political shifts often occur within an ideological field structured by neoliberal hegemony. The article also examines how transformations in digital political communication have reshaped ideological competition, highlighting the rise of political leaders who rely heavily on social media platforms to mobilize supporters and disseminate political narratives. The findings suggest that analyzing hegemonic disputes is crucial for understanding contemporary political transformations in Latin America and the challenges faced by democratic institutions in the twenty-first century.