Abstract

The focus for students of Latin America in the past decade has been on the political forces of the left and the so-called 'pink tide' presidencies attempting to bring about social and economic change in the region. However, there has been far less attention paid to the rightwing political forces resisting such change. Such opposition is being orchestrated by political parties, business, the private media and other social and cultural institutions and is linked to the 'soft power' of US diplomacy. In recent years its activities have often appeared to challenge the democratic process itself. Based on a variety of original fieldwork and evidence, this volume addresses the current trajectories of rightwing politics in Latin America in the face of leftist governments, the discrediting of neoliberalism, and the decline of US hegemony. It includes chapters on US policy towards Latin America; the role of US-based think-tanks; the influence of transnational business and of the private media; as well as offering country-specific chapters on key states with rightwing governments and on opposition to left-of-centre governments in Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile. A revealing and important book for anyone interested in contemporary Latin American politics.
Dr. Francisco Dominguez is Senior Lecturer in Latin American Studies, Middlesex University. He has recently edited Mercosur: Between Integration and Democracy (2003); ‘Violence, the Left and the Creation of Un Nuevo Chile’, in W. Fowler and P. Lambert (eds.) Political Violence and Identity in Latin America (2008), ‘The rise of the private sector in Cuba’ in A. I. Gray and A.Kapcia (eds.) The Changing Dynamic of Cuban Civil Society (2008), and ‘The Latin Americanization of the politics of emancipation’ in Reclaiming Latin America: Experiments in Radical Social Democracy (2009) Dr. Geraldine Lievesley is Senior Lecturer, and teaches Latin American and Cuban Politics at Manchester Metropolitan University. Amongst her recent publications are: Reclaiming Latin America: Experiments in Radical Social Democracy (2009, with Steve Ludlam), The Cuban Revolution. Past, Present and Future Perspectives (2004), and In the Hands of Women. Dr Steve Ludlam is Senior Lecturer, and teaches Cuban and Latin American politics at the University of Sheffield. His recent publications include ‘Cuba at 50 - what about the workers?’ Bulletin of Latin American Research (2009); Reclaiming Latin America: Experiments in Radical Social Democracy (2009, with Geraldine Lievesley), Labour, the State, Social Movements and the Challenge of Neo-liberal Globalisation (2007, with Andrew Gamble, Andrew J. Taylor, and Stephen Wood).
''Right-Wing Politics in the New Latin America' poses key questions regarding the Latin American right and goes a long way in answering them. As editors Lievesley and Ludlam point out in the introduction and is documented throughout the book, the right counts on vast resources from both home and abroad and is embedded in the bureaucracy of diverse institutions. The book also demonstrates that the commitment of many Latin American rightist political parties to democracy is shaky and indeed some of them have historical links with fascist and other movements of the far-right. Equally important is the rich material on the maneuvers of powerful actors in Washington on behalf of the Latin American right. In addition, the book reveals the key role of the right in the formulation and implementation of neoliberal policies in recent decades. This is a must read for those intent on understanding twenty-first century Latin American politics, even in those countries where the left currently has the upper hand.' - Steve Ellner, author of 'Rethinking Venezuelan Politics: Class, Conflict and the Chávez Phenomenon' 'Since the demise of the genocidal military dictatorships, democratisation in 1980s and the pink tide, it's tempting to see the Latin American right as on the back foot. This excellent and timely collection acts as a useful corrective, providing a more balanced understanding.' - Dr Peter North, University of Liverpool 'Too often progressives demonise or just ignore the political right. This new collection redresses this deficit with a series of extremely well informed snapshots of the right in action across Latin America. A must read for all interested in genuine democratisation' - Professor Ronaldo Munck, Head of Civic and Global Engagement, Dublin City University 'This book offers the most comprehensive and authoritative assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the political right in Latin America, and a much-needed examination of the continuing challenges to democracy and to the drive towards social and economic equality which is posed by the traditional ruling classes in this region. This is a key reference for understanding contemporary Latin American politics.' - Prof Alfredo Saad-Filho, Department of Development Studies, SOAS, University of London 'A timely book that fills a gap in the literature. While the rise of the left has dominated the headlines regarding Latin America, the book reminds us that the centre right rules in some of the most important countries of the region. It provides a rich analysis of centre right politics in a rapidly changing region of the world. Extremely useful for anyone interested in having a full picture of contemporary Latin American politics.' - Francisco Panizza, Reader in Latin American Politics, The London School of Economics and Political Science, author of 'Contemporary Latin America'