On June 21, Colombia elected Abelardo de la Espriella, a far-right candidate, as its new president. He is the third head of state from this political orientation to be elected on the South American continent since the 2020s. What allows him to increasingly appeal to this continent?
In the space of four years, three South American countries brought far-right leaders to power. On December 10, 2023, Javier Gerardo Milei became President of the Argentine Nation. Then, on March 11, 2026, José Antonio Kast was inaugurated president of the Republic of Chile. Finally, Abelardo de la Espriella became the new president of Colombia.
The case of Brazil
Javier Gerardo Milei, however, is not the first ultraconservative head of state elected in South America. Latin America stretches from the northern tip of Mexico to the southern tip of Argentina and Chile.
From 2019 to 2023, Jair Bolsonaro led Brazil before losing the election to his main opponent, Lula, a figure of the Workers’ Party. He narrowly won with 50.9% of the vote, compared to 49.1% for Bolsonaro.
In October 2026, Brazilians will elect a new president. Flavio Bolsonaro intends to take up the torch from his father, like Marine Le Pen after Jean-Marie Le Pen in France. Jair Bolsonaro can no longer run since he is serving a 25-year prison sentence for attempted coup d’état.
For this deadline, Flavio Bolsonaro notably promises a rapprochement with Donald Trump and Israel.
Nayib Bukele’s politics
In El Salvador, a small country bordering the Pacific Ocean, located south of Mexico between Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, Nayib Bukele leads a far-right policy. He has led the country since June 1, 2019.
The Salvadoran president is best known for his very offensive fight against gangs. This policy, strongly focused on security, appealed to a large part of the voters.
What appeals to voters
Security constitutes the main watchword of the ultraconservative policies carried out by the four current presidents in Colombia, Chile, El Salvador and Argentina.
In El Salvador, the government built the CECOT (Terrorism Containment Center), a very high security prison inaugurated in January 2023. The establishment accommodates more than 40,000 inmates, mainly from gangs. This prison occupies a central place in Nayib Bukele’s program. However, many organizations denounce the conditions of detention and the violence suffered by prisoners. The government rejects these accusations and says this strategy remains the only way to put an end to gang activity.
In Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, supported by Nayib Bukele, wants to apply a similar policy. Its program provides in particular for a militarization of the fight against armed groups, the construction of ten mega-prisons, a toughening of penal policy as well as an intensification of the fight against drug trafficking.
In Argentina, Javier Milei also focuses on safety. His government is strengthening police powers, toughening its response to demonstrations, increasing border control and intensifying the fight against drug trafficking.
In Chile, José Antonio Kast’s program follows the same logic. It provides for the militarization of certain sensitive areas, the strengthening of police forces, tougher sanctions against traffickers and perpetrators of violent crimes, a more restrictive migration policy as well as the construction or expansion of prison capacities.
The fault of the left?
In addition to crime and gangs, these countries also face other difficulties: economic crisis, poverty, inequality, corruption, migration and political instability.
According to the ultraconservative candidates, their programs provide more effective responses than those proposed by their left-wing adversaries. Is the rise of the far right then the result of policies led by the left?
The four predecessors belonged to left-wing movements: Alberto Fernández in Argentina, Gabriel Boric in Chile, Gustavo Petro in Colombia and Salvador Sánchez Cerén in El Salvador.
More broadly, Latin America seems to increasingly reject traditional political formations. Some voters are turning to parties described as extremist, particularly the far right, which they perceive as an alternative never before experienced. For some, left-wing governments have failed to meet expectations, which favors a major political shift.
