ABSTRACT
This chapter considers ethno-populism as a discourse and political strategy that combines ethnic and populist appeals. In Latin America, the central ethnic groups include indigenous people, Afro-Latinos, whites, and mestizos. The chapter argues that populist leaders have embraced ethno-racial appeals in large part because of growing ethno-racial consciousness in the region. It discusses the history of populism in the region and the emergence of ethno-populist leaders in recent years. The chapter explains why the use of ethno-populist appeals has grown and why some leaders have used them more than others. It shows why ethno-populist leaders in Latin America have been ethnically inclusive, while in Europe and other regions they have often been exclusionary. The chapter discusses the implications of ethno-populism for democracy in the region and the future of ethno-populism in the region. The low level of ethnic polarization in Latin America has reduced the attractiveness of exclusionary ethnic appeals for populist politicians as well as for voters.
