Right-Wing Populism and Evangelicalism in Guatemala: the Presidency of Jimmy Morales
In the fall of 2015, Jimmy Morales—an outspoken evangelical Christian, comedian, and well-known local TV actor—won the presidential elections in Guatemala. In what was a surprise victory, Morales succeeded as the candidate of the small, conservative, and right-wing Frente de Convergencia Nacional (F...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
[2019]
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| In: |
International journal of Latin American religions
Year: 2019, Volume: 3, Issue: 2, Pages: 294-324 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Guatemala
/ The Right
/ Populism
/ Evangelical movement
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| IxTheo Classification: | KBR Latin America KDG Free church ZC Politics in general |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) |
| Summary: | In the fall of 2015, Jimmy Morales—an outspoken evangelical Christian, comedian, and well-known local TV actor—won the presidential elections in Guatemala. In what was a surprise victory, Morales succeeded as the candidate of the small, conservative, and right-wing Frente de Convergencia Nacional (FCN-Nación). This article seeks to (a) illuminate the Christian background and political-military network behind Jimmy Morales, (b) explain the overlap between the Christian evangelical and right-wing discourses (specifically, Morales' anti-establishment rhetoric; his claims to fight the corrupt elite; his defense of the traditional family; his support for the death penalty; and his opposition to same-sex marriage, LGTBQ rights, and abortion), and (c) to understand the broader socio-historical context of his presidency. Why did Guatemalans elect as their president a right-wing, evangelical entertainer with almost no previous political experience? This final inquiry includes an examination of earlier presidencies, including those of the neo-Pentecostal, right-wing dictator General Efraín Ríos Montt and the Protestant President Jorge Serrano Elías. |
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| ISSN: | 2509-9965 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: International journal of Latin American religions
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1007/s41603-019-00090-2 |