Populism and neo-populism in Latin America: its legacy on political parties and political culture

In Latin American democracies the emergence of political phenomena regarded as extinct are now observed due to appearance of the so-called post-modern societies. One of these elements is the neo-populism, about which theoretical controversies continue to exist regarding its conceptualization and impact on the democratic process. This article aims to analyze neo-populism, evaluating its origin and evolution, its impact on political parties and the political culture that emerges if this political praxis is present. The study is of descriptive-empirical nature. The data come from a probabilistic survey conducted in three Latin American cities in 2005. The results suggest that there are positive predispositions of citizens regarding popular political personalities and a process of discrediting of political institutions. We propose some mechanisms that could be useful to strengthen a participative political culture that makes the political leaders accountable and at the same time, could appreciate conventional mediating institutions.