ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on international conflicts in the Latin American region. The argument is that interruptions are strategically used with ideological purposes and that the negotiation of apologies reveals the ideological struggle for power and polarization in the region. The chapter deals with two types of conflicts: 1) the case in which the King of Spain asked Hugo Chávez to “shut up” in 2007, which had global coverage, and 2) diplomatic conflicts between 2005 and 2008, which involved Venezuela, Spain, Perú, México, Colombia and Ecuador on account of differences regarding the relation with the United States and FARC (Colombia’s Revolutionary Armed Forces). Theoretical and methodological information is given on interruptions and apologies in political discourse, as well as criteria and procedures for collecting data. Different types of interruptions are described with their discourse and political functions. Apologies among Heads of State through the media are analyzed with reference to three conditions: sincerity, credibility and cynicism. The chapter calls attention to the responsibility of Heads of State in promoting ‘real’ democratic dialogue between nations.
