Mexico City, July 15 – By mid‑2026, the political map of Latin America is undergoing a pronounced rightward shift. With right‑wing candidates winning presidential elections this year in Costa Rica, Colombia, and Peru, the region’s years‑long trend of “left‑wing retreat and right‑wing consolidation” has further accelerated.
Electoral victories for the right
On February 1, Laura Fernández of the right‑wing Sovereign People’s Party won Costa Rica’s presidential election. On June 24, far‑right candidate De la Espriella narrowly won the Colombian presidency. That same month, Keiko Fujimori of the right‑wing Popular Force party narrowly prevailed in Peru’s run‑off election. These outcomes extend the trend seen in 2025, when right‑wing parties prevailed in Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Honduras. Since Donald Trump began his second term in 2025, right‑wing camps have won all seven presidential elections held in the region. An article in The Economist observed that Latin America is currently “swinging right at an unprecedented pace.”
Interplay of internal and external factors
Analysts point to a combination of internal difficulties and external interference driving the right‑wing surge.
Internally, many Latin American countries have been plagued by sluggish economic growth and deteriorating public security. Hernando Cepeida, associate professor of history at the National University of Colombia, argues that constrained fiscal space and harsh external economic conditions have prevented some left‑wing governments from fulfilling promises to eradicate poverty and expand social welfare. As voters face rising living costs, they have increasingly turned to right‑wing candidates who promise free‑market reforms. On security, rampant transnational crime, drug trafficking, and gang violence across the region have led right‑wing politicians to champion “iron‑fist” law‑and‑order policies, winning votes from security‑concerned citizens. Yuan Dongzhen, director of the Latin American Studies Center at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, noted that the right‑wing forces that have gained traction in Latin America recently tend to adopt more extreme positions overall, using highly digitalised campaign strategies to precisely appeal to young voters disenchanted with traditional politics.
Externally, since Trump’s return to the White House, the United States has aggressively promoted “Trumpism” in Latin America, openly pursuing a “pro‑right, anti‑left” policy and even directly interfering in some countries’ elections. For example, during Colombia’s presidential race, Trump publicly endorsed De la Espriella multiple times.
Beyond the pendulum effect?
Although alternating left‑right rule has long been a norm in Latin American politics, some research suggests that this collective rightward shift is beginning to transcend the traditional “pendulum effect,” attempting to construct a governance model of authoritarian populism. Nonetheless, others argue that regardless of which wing governs, breaking the development deadlock, responding to popular concerns, and achieving long‑term stable development remain critical challenges for all Latin American countries. As Washington’s bullying practices increasingly lose favour, the “neo‑Monroe Doctrine” is bound to face broader resistance. (End)