The protector and the avenger

the moral architecture of right-wing populism in the discourses of Bolsonaro (2018) and Milei (2023)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-5269.150652

Abstract

The article analyzes how Jair Bolsonaro (2018) and Javier Milei (2023) used moral foundations in their discourse to build "national hero" narratives and mobilize their supporters. Through a quantitative content analysis of tweets published in their respective election years, and using the Moral Foundations Dictionary (MFD), the frequency of moral appeals in their communications was mapped. The results reveal two distinct moral architectures: while Bolsonaro constructed a “Protector Hero”, with an emphasis on Authority, Loyalty, and the denunciation of Harm, Milei personified an “Avenging Hero”, focusing on the denunciation of Cheating and Degradation, and on a proposal of Fairness. The study concludes that the success of right-wing populism in the region lies in its ability to adapt its moral vocabulary to the crises and resentments of each national context.
Keywords: Far-Right; Populism; Moral Foundations; Political Discourse; Latin America.

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Author Biographies

Pedro Santos Mundim, Universidade Federal de Goiás

Journalist (PUC-MG), Master's degree in Communication (UFMG), PhD in Political Science (IUPERJ), Post-doctoral studies in the Department of Social Communication at UFMG, Adjunct Professor of Political Science at UFG.

Marcella Soares Mendonça, Universidade Federal de Goiás

Bachelor's degree in International Relations from UFG.

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Published

2026-05-02

How to Cite

Mundim, P. S., & Soares Mendonça, M. (2026). The protector and the avenger: the moral architecture of right-wing populism in the discourses of Bolsonaro (2018) and Milei (2023). Revista Debates, 20(1), 64–82. https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-5269.150652

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 1 (2026): Far Right in Comparative Perspective

Section

Dossier

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