Freedom of Expression and Populist Politics

Abstract

This chapter seeks to describe the normative underpinnings of the freedom of expression debate, which engulfed Latin America in the last few years, especially around the push, led by some countries, to reform the Inter-American Human Rights System. Based on this analysis, the chapter argues for a conflicting relationship between populist politics and freedom of expression. With the dust settled over the Inter-American reform process, the analysis seems timely and relevant given the decline of left-wing populism in the region and the rise of right-wing populism worldwide.