For over a decade, the political map of South America was colored a deep, revolutionary red. The so-called “Pink Tide” of the early 2000s promised reduced social gaps, the eradication of poverty, and a country that will finally belong to its citizens. But these days, that tide is receding, replaced by a “Blue Wave” of right-wing leaders who are winning elections on platforms of “Capitalism for Everyone,” iron-fisted security policies, and a pro-Western diplomatic outlook.
“It’s now or never!” declared Nasry Asfura, the newly elected president of Honduras, capturing the sense of urgency felt across the continent. His sentiment is echoed by José Antonio Kast, the recently elected president of Chile, who told his supporters: “Hope has won. The hope of living without fear. Today we are on the path to victory.”
The collapse of left-wing hegemony in South America did not happen in a vacuum. Mauricio Dimant of the Hebrew University explains that the ideological promises of the Left ultimately failed to meet the basic needs of the populace. “Left-wing governments failed to deal with all sorts of issues that are very, very relevant to the residents, such as the issues of corruption and the economy.”
Nicolas Saldias, a Latin America and Caribbean senior analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), said that in his view, the main reason that Latin American voters have been choosing right-wing parties in recent elections is largely due to being highly concerned about crime. “If you look at opinion polling in many countries, the overriding concern that many voters have is regarding crime, which is high and rising in some countries.”
‘Capitalism for everyone’
As the “Pink Tide” governments became synonymous with administrative inefficiency, voters began looking for a radical departure from the status quo. One of the most extreme examples is Bolivia, a country that had been a bastion of left-wing populism for nearly 20 years, when the frustration reached a breaking point. “Most Bolivians got tired of almost 20 years of a left-wing government, which also brought the country into a kind of economic crisis,” Dimant said.
Rodrigo Paz, the newly elected president of Bolivia, campaigned on a platform that directly attacked the legacy of his predecessors. “I don’t want to return to that past that left us in poverty, without gas,” Paz told voters. “They squandered all our gas.”
Paz’s victory was built on a promise of “Capitalism for Everyone” – a slogan that would have been unthinkable in La Paz, the country’s administrative capital and seat of government. It reflects a new “dose of realism” among voters, according to Saldias. “The kind of policies that were implemented by the previous government were just fiscally unsustainable, economically unsustainable, and also distortionary,” he said.
Draconian means, strongman appeal
While economic reform is a major driver, as mentioned before, the most potent weapon in the right-wing arsenal has been the issue of security. Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, has become the North Star for right wing movements across the continent. By utilizing “draconian means” to crush gang violence – including the construction of giant prisons and mass arrests – Bukele has transformed himself into a regional icon.
“Believe me, many more people will see this selfie than will hear this speech,” Bukele famously told the UN General Assembly in 2019 after taking a selfie using his mobile phone before he began his speech, epitomizing the populist, media-savvy style that resonates with a frustrated public.
The results of his “Iron Fist” policy have created a template for the public to ask for their “own Bukele” and caused leaders to try to replicate him. “If you ask Chileans which global leader they look up to the most, it’s actually Nayib Bukele,” said Saldias. “If you ask Peruvians who would they like to see as an external leader, it’s Nayib Bukele. So that’s an example to keep in mind about the rightward shift.”
Honduras and El Salvador are not the only countries changing from red to blue in recent years. Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia have also made this 180-degree shift in government.
In Chile, for example, newly elected President Kast has embraced this call for order. “The time has come for the country’s citizens to feel safe,” he declared, promising to fight both crime and illegal immigration. “Things can keep improving, not getting worse, which is what we’ve seen in many areas of our democracy.”
Maxwell Cameron, professor of political science at the School of Public Policy & Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia, notes that the appeal of the “strongman” is a direct response to the chaos of recent years. “The spectacle, really, of a strong state, I think is very appealing to people in other countries which have seen a massive increase in violence,” he said.
Lifeline for Israel
For Israel, this right-wing shift is more than just a change in the region; it is a diplomatic lifeline. Under left-wing governments, several South American nations had become increasingly hostile toward the Jewish state.
However, the new governments are wasting no time in reversing these policies. In Honduras, Nasry Asfura – despite being of Palestinian descent – surprised many by making Israel, together with the United States, his first international destination after being elected. “He has a clear worldview that is pro-Western, pro-American, and pro-Israeli,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told the Magazine. “The fact that before he was even sworn into the presidency he visited the United States and visited Israel is very impressive testimony to Israel’s standing as well.”
In Bolivia, which has severed ties with Israel multiple times since 2008, Paz has already moved to repair the damage of the previous two decades. “We have renewed our relations with Israel, which for us is according to our logic of ‘Bolivia in the world, and the world in Bolivia,’” its new president said.
Sa’ar emphasized that these relationships are based on mutual interests rather than just sentiment. “What they want from us is assistance in various fields where we can help,” the foreign minister explained. “And, of course, the trilateral relationship – Bolivia, Israel, United States – also plays a role.”
Chile, which had seen its relations with Israel reach a low point under the previous administration of Gabriel Boric, is also doing a pivot. “I am very happy that under President Kast, there will be a change of direction,” Sa’ar noted. “His intention is to bring the relations with Israel back to a proper track.”
The foreign minister emphasizes that it is already possible to see a significant change in the way South American countries vote at the United Nations. “Countries that once voted in favor of condemning Israel now either abstain or vote against such resolutions,” Sa’ar said. He has set 2026 as a goal year to “solidify Israel’s ties and foothold in Latin America” and is planning another visit in the near future. “I call newly elected presidents shortly after they are elected. We initiate contacts with candidates – even during the election period.”
Trump to the rescue
The resurgence of the Right in South America is inextricably linked to the influence of US President Donald Trump. Throughout his campaigns and presidency, Trump has actively endorsed right-wing candidates across the continent, often intervening in ways that traditional diplomats might shun. “In Chile, the person I endorsed, who was not leading, ended up winning quite easily,” the president claimed.
He did the same with Honduras. “There was a great election there,” Trump boasted. “I endorsed somebody who was not leading, and he won the election.” He even threatened during the election to cut off aid if Asfura wouldn’t have been elected as president. “Asfura won by a narrow margin [0.3%] after getting Trump’s endorsement – so maybe it was Trump’s endorsement that got him over the edge,” said Saldias.
While some analysts downplay Trump’s direct impact on the ballot box, Prof. Cameron believes his presence is a major factor. “While it’s not necessarily the most important factor or the decisive factor, I think Trump contributes.” This “Trumpian” influence has created a space for politicians like Chile’s Kast, whom Cameron describes as a “more ‘Trumpian’ politician” who appeals to voters feeling detached from the traditional political system.
Lasting transformation or latest swing?
Despite the widespread shift, the continent remains divided. In Brazil, President Lula da Silva continues to lead one of the continent’s largest economies; and in Colombia, President Gustavo Petro remains a vocal critic of both the right-wing wave and Israel. “Not good” is the way Foreign Minister Sa’ar described the current state of bilateral relations, citing Petro’s proposal to establish some kind of international military force that would come to fight for Palestine. “Historically, Israel and Colombia shared a deep security partnership,” one Sa’ar hopes to restore. “I very much hope they will return to being good.”
Even in Colombia, however, the right-wing resurgence is looming. President Petro’s economic policies – such as his hostility toward the oil and gas industry – have led to high inflation and slow growth. “The economy is not growing very quickly,” Saldias noted. “Petro’s economic policies are a bit erratic.” And also here, Trump plays a role and has been even more blunt about the Colombian leadership, calling Petro “a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States,” and predicting that “he’s not going to be doing it for very long.”
For now, however, the leaders of the New Right remain defiant and optimistic. They see themselves as participating in a “struggle over consciousness,” as Dimant put it, attempting to dismantle the ideological perceptions that have been promoted for 20 years by the Left.
The question still remains: Is this “Blue Tide” a lasting transformation of the South American continent, or merely the latest swing of a political pendulum?
As these new leaders take power, they face the daunting task of delivering on their promises of economic prosperity and total security. If they fail to curb inflation or stop the gangs, the same pragmatism that brought them to power could easily turn against them.■