After the Pink Tide: Social Movements in Ecuador and Bolivia

• In Event: Who Represents, Who Gets Represented: Politics in the Developing World

Abstract

2019 saw a number of protests and mobilizations throughout the Latin American region. Ecuador and Bolivia were not the exception. In Ecuador, large protests against the economic measures of Lenin Moreno broke in October, forcing the government to sit down with different groups to negotiate the proposed measures. In Bolivia, also in October, the results of the presidential election were seen as fraudulent and triggered antigovernment protests which led to Evo Morales’ resignation and to Jeanine Áñez becoming president, which in turn led to protests against her and demanding the return of Morales. Evo Morales’ political career was advanced by social movements and massive protests would see his demise. These protests are particularly interesting because they come in the twilight of the pink tide in the region and in those countries. Lenin Moreno was enacting more rightist policies and undid some of the more participatory reforms of his predecessor, and Morales’ resignation marks the end of an era. The leftist governments were thought to be more responsive to the grievances of historically ignored sectors of the population, especially in two largely indigenous countries like Bolivia and Ecuador, and had put in place some participatory mechanisms. So what do these new protests and movements tell us about the end of the pink tide? Can they help us understand the shortcomings of the leftist governments or do they show us these options remain relevant?

Author

• Gabriela Camacho, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin