How is Far-Right Populist Discourse shaped in Different National Contexts? An Empirical Analysis of Javier Milei's Speeches in Comparison to Jair Bolsonaro.

• Grant number: 25/03545-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: December 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science
• Principal Investigator: Paolo Ricci
• Grantee: Renan Funtowicz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to highlight the distinctive characteristics of far-rightpopulism in Latin America. In particular, this project proposes a comparativeinvestigation of the populist discourses of Argentine President Javier Milei and formerBrazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Through the analysis of official speeches deliveredduring their terms, using the ideational approach to populism, we aim to identify thefrequency and themes present in their populist rhetoric, tracing similarities anddifferences between them. Through this comparison, we seek to examine the populistnature of their discourse and delve deeper into the ambiguous relationship betweenlibertarianism and populism, with a particular focus on Milei. As highlighted in theexisting literature, his case may represent a new type of far-right populism in LatinAmerica, characterized by populist rhetoric that reflects his ultra-libertarian persona.Bolsonaro, on the other hand, is regarded as one of the key representatives of the newwave of populism, characterized by authoritarian and exclusionary tendencies. Thus, byanalyzing them from a comparative perspective, this project aims to investigate newforms of populism and their connection to ideological aspects, contributing to thescholarly literature on populism and the far right in Latin America.