Concept in Definition ABC

Caudillismo is a phenomenon that emerged in Latin America throughout the nineteenth century that consisted of the arrival to power by unusual mechanisms of leaders endowed with a strong charisma.

Supported by important groups of population, those who seduced with their strong personality and a whole series of promises, these leaders were made with the government supported by opposition military sectors. After their installation in power, and after a brief period of transition, they used to call elections in which they emerged victorious, and in this way they gave legitimacy to your maneuver.

However, behind the caudillismo there was no real desire to help solve the problems of the people, but rather the pretense of seizing power and favoring those power groups that were related.

This often resulted in a repetition of the process, with new leaders spearheading the protests and riots, and a popular support motivated by the frustration of the people when not fulfilling everything that at the time was promised.

Etymologically, it comes from the Latin term “Capitellus, capitelli”, and its meaning is “Caudillo government”

Traits and characteristics of Caudillismo

Apart from the aforementioned particularity of the strong charisma of each and every one of these caudillos, the system itself had a series of characteristics that were repeated over and over again regardless of who held power in that moment.

One of these traits was the pursuit of popularity and the loss of prestige of opponents, a characteristic which remains constant over time in many other personalist regimes that have followed one another on Latin America subsequently.

All those who came to power had power and money, so, despite having popular support, they cannot be considered to be part of a social class short. Quite the contrary, they enjoyed good contacts and influence, and it was these powerful groups that benefited when the new caudillo reached the government.

They relied on his rhetoric and ability to persuasion to convince the people to give them their support, using whatever resources were useful to them. So valid was it to appeal to feelings nationalists like building a patronage network based on gifts.

Finally, the institutions democratic to their own goals. All proclaimed noble ideas, behind which particular interests were hidden, and once installed in power they were in charge of achieving them. controlling the will of the partisans and repressing the opponents, so that the apparent democratic regimes were but a pantomime.

Photos: iStock - duncan1890 / Linda Steward