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Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review

Year 2025, Volume: 22 Issue: 87, 147 - 163, 18.09.2025
https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1675147

Abstract

This article systematically reviews the current state of Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) in Latin America, focusing on political leaders, especially presidents, highlighting the region’s significant but often overlooked contributions to the field. It analyses scholarly articles from both Western and Latin American journals to explore who is involved in the decision-making process, the elements that shape decision-making, and the types of decisions analysed in the region. Additionally, the review sheds light on where the knowledge originates and where it is published, underscoring the underrepresentation of Latin American perspectives in International Relations literature. It concludes by stressing the advancements in regional FPA research and the importance of integrating these diverse Latin American viewpoints to enhance the field, as the region offers rich empirical data that supports theory-building and comparative analysis.

References

  • Araujo, André Leite. 2024. The National Legislatures in the Enlargement of Mercosur: Paraguay’s Acceptance of Venezuela and Bolivia. Latin American Politics and Society 66, 1: 51–76.
  • Belém Lopes, Dawisson, Thales Carvalho, and Vinicius Santos. 2022. Did the Far Right Breed a New Variety of Foreign Policy? The Case of Bolsonaro’s ‘More-Bark-Than-Bite’ Brazil. Global Studies Quarterly 2, 4: ksac078.
  • Bertucci, Mariano E. 2013. Scholarly Research on U.S.-Latin American Relations: Where Does the Field Stand? Latin American Politics and Society 55, 4: 119–142.
  • Boersner Herrera, Adriana, and Makram Haluani. 2023. Domestic and International Factors of the Contemporary Russo–Venezuelan Bilateral Relationship. Latin American Policy 14, 3: 366–387.
  • Brummer, Klaus, Michael D. Young, Özgur Özdamar, Sercan Canbolat, Consuelo Thiers, Christian Rabini, Katharina Dimmroth, Mischa Hansel, and Ameneh Mehvar. 2020. Forum: Coding in Tongues: Developing Non-English Coding Schemes for Leadership Profiling. International Studies Review 22, 4: 1039–1067.
  • Brun, Élodie, Carlos Heras Rodríguez, Juan José Montiel Rico, Élodie Brun, Carlos Heras Rodríguez, and Juan José Montiel Rico. 2022. ¿Y América Latina? Una Propuesta Analítica Sobre Populismo y Política Exterior. Revista de Ciencia Política 42, 1: 81–103.
  • Castro Torres, Andrés F., and Diego Alburez-Gutierrez. 2022. North and South: Naming Practices and the Hidden Dimension of Global Disparities in Knowledge Production. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119, 10: e2119373119.
  • Darnton, Christopher. 2020. Public Diplomacy and International Conflict Resolution: A Cautionary Case from Cold War South America. Foreign Policy Analysis 16, 1: 1–20.
  • De Sá Guimarães, Feliciano, and Irma Dutra De Oliveira E Silva. 2021. Far-Right Populism and Foreign Policy Identity: Jair Bolsonaro’s Ultra-Conservatism and the New Politics of Alignment. International Affairs 97, 2: 345–363.
  • Dikmen-Alsancak, Neslihan, and Mine Nur Küçük. 2021. The What, Who and Where of World Politics? Two Different Conceptions of ‘the International.’ Uluslararası İlişkiler 18, 70: 103-120.
  • Doctor, Mahrukh. 2023. Brazil’s Strategic Diplomacy Failures and Foreign Policy Underachievement under Bolsonaro. Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional 66, 1: e011.
  • Fouquet, Stephan. 2023. Populist Leadership, Opportunistic Decision-Making, and Poliheuristic Theory: Cristina Kirchner’s Decision to Defy ‘The Vultures.’ Foreign Policy Analysis 19, 2: orad003.
  • Friedrichs, Gordon M. 2022. Populist Minds Think Alike? National Identity Conceptions and Foreign Policy Preferences of Populist Leaders. Foreign Policy Analysis 18, 2: orac004.
  • Giacalone, Rita. 2012. Latin American Foreign Policy Analysis: External Influences and Internal Circumstances. Foreign Policy Analysis 8, 4: 335–354.
  • Giacalone, Rita. 2015. Latin American Foreign Policy Analysis. In Foreign Policy Analysis Beyond North America., eds. Klaus Brummer and Valerie M. Hudson, 1st edition, 121–38. Boulder, CO, Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.
  • Guimarães, Feliciano de Sá, Ivan Filipe Fernandes, and Gerardo Maldonado. 2020. Domestic Attitudes toward Regional Leadership: A Survey Experiment in Brazil. Foreign Policy Analysis 16, 1: 98–117.
  • Jenne, Erin K. 2021. Populism, Nationalism and Revisionist Foreign Policy. International Affairs 97, 2: 323–343.
  • Malamud, Andrés. 2005. Presidential Diplomacy and the Institutional Underpinnings of MERCOSUR: An Empirical Examination. Latin American Research Review 40, 1: 138–164.
  • Malamud, Andrés. 2015. Presidentialist Decision Making in Latin American Foreign Policy. Examples from Regional Integration Processes. In Routledge Handbook of Latin America in the World, eds. Jorge I. Domínguez and Ana Covarrubias, 112–123. New York, NY, Taylor & Francis.
  • Merke, Federico, Diego Reynoso, and Luis Leandro Schenoni. 2020. Foreign Policy Change in Latin America: Exploring a Middle-Range Concept. Latin American Research Review 55, 3: 413–429.
  • Minke Contreras, Johannes. 2021. Towards Development-Oriented Foreign Policy in Latin America: The Cases of Ecuador and Chile. Bulletin of Latin American Research 40, 1: 117–132.
  • Pecequilo, Cristina Soreanu. 2022. Brazilian Foreign Policy: From the Combined to the Unbalanced Axis (2003/2021). Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional 64 :e011.
  • Quiliconi, Cintia, Julissa Castro Silva. 2024. Latin American International Political Economy: Contributions Beyond the Transatlantic Divide. International Affairs 100, 1: 61–80.
  • Schenoni, Luis L, Pedro Feliú Ribeiro, Dawisson Belém Lopes, and Guilherme Casarões. 2022. Myths of Multipolarity: The Sources of Brazil’s Foreign Policy Overstretch. Foreign Policy Analysis 18, 1: orab037.
  • Silva, André Luiz Reis da. 2022. Retraction or Consolidation? The Follow-up Phase in Dilma Rousseff’s Foreign Policy (2011-2016). Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional 64: e012.
  • Thiers, Consuelo. 2024. The Role of Political Leaders’ Emotions in Shaping International Rivalries: The Case of Former Bolivian President Evo Morales. Foreign Policy Analysis 20, 1: orad033.
  • Thiers, Consuelo, and Leslie E Wehner. 2022. The Personality Traits of Populist Leaders and Their Foreign Policies: Hugo Chávez and Donald Trump. International Studies Quarterly 66, 1: sqab083.
  • Villanueva, Ricardo. 2024. Alicia Moreau’s Socialist Feminism on War: Transcending Western Narratives.? International Affairs 100, 1: 81–99.
  • Villanueva, Ricardo, Jessica De Alba-Ulloa, Pedro González Olvera, and María Elena Lorenzini. 2024. Missing Voices: Latin American Perspectives in International Relations. International Affairs 100, 1: 1– 5.
  • Westhuizen, Janis van der. 2021. Status Signaling and the Risk of Domestic Opposition: Comparing South Africa and Brazil’s Hosting of the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. Foreign Policy Analysis 17, 3: orab004.

Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review

Year 2025, Volume: 22 Issue: 87, 147 - 163, 18.09.2025
https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1675147

Abstract

References

  • Araujo, André Leite. 2024. The National Legislatures in the Enlargement of Mercosur: Paraguay’s Acceptance of Venezuela and Bolivia. Latin American Politics and Society 66, 1: 51–76.
  • Belém Lopes, Dawisson, Thales Carvalho, and Vinicius Santos. 2022. Did the Far Right Breed a New Variety of Foreign Policy? The Case of Bolsonaro’s ‘More-Bark-Than-Bite’ Brazil. Global Studies Quarterly 2, 4: ksac078.
  • Bertucci, Mariano E. 2013. Scholarly Research on U.S.-Latin American Relations: Where Does the Field Stand? Latin American Politics and Society 55, 4: 119–142.
  • Boersner Herrera, Adriana, and Makram Haluani. 2023. Domestic and International Factors of the Contemporary Russo–Venezuelan Bilateral Relationship. Latin American Policy 14, 3: 366–387.
  • Brummer, Klaus, Michael D. Young, Özgur Özdamar, Sercan Canbolat, Consuelo Thiers, Christian Rabini, Katharina Dimmroth, Mischa Hansel, and Ameneh Mehvar. 2020. Forum: Coding in Tongues: Developing Non-English Coding Schemes for Leadership Profiling. International Studies Review 22, 4: 1039–1067.
  • Brun, Élodie, Carlos Heras Rodríguez, Juan José Montiel Rico, Élodie Brun, Carlos Heras Rodríguez, and Juan José Montiel Rico. 2022. ¿Y América Latina? Una Propuesta Analítica Sobre Populismo y Política Exterior. Revista de Ciencia Política 42, 1: 81–103.
  • Castro Torres, Andrés F., and Diego Alburez-Gutierrez. 2022. North and South: Naming Practices and the Hidden Dimension of Global Disparities in Knowledge Production. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119, 10: e2119373119.
  • Darnton, Christopher. 2020. Public Diplomacy and International Conflict Resolution: A Cautionary Case from Cold War South America. Foreign Policy Analysis 16, 1: 1–20.
  • De Sá Guimarães, Feliciano, and Irma Dutra De Oliveira E Silva. 2021. Far-Right Populism and Foreign Policy Identity: Jair Bolsonaro’s Ultra-Conservatism and the New Politics of Alignment. International Affairs 97, 2: 345–363.
  • Dikmen-Alsancak, Neslihan, and Mine Nur Küçük. 2021. The What, Who and Where of World Politics? Two Different Conceptions of ‘the International.’ Uluslararası İlişkiler 18, 70: 103-120.
  • Doctor, Mahrukh. 2023. Brazil’s Strategic Diplomacy Failures and Foreign Policy Underachievement under Bolsonaro. Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional 66, 1: e011.
  • Fouquet, Stephan. 2023. Populist Leadership, Opportunistic Decision-Making, and Poliheuristic Theory: Cristina Kirchner’s Decision to Defy ‘The Vultures.’ Foreign Policy Analysis 19, 2: orad003.
  • Friedrichs, Gordon M. 2022. Populist Minds Think Alike? National Identity Conceptions and Foreign Policy Preferences of Populist Leaders. Foreign Policy Analysis 18, 2: orac004.
  • Giacalone, Rita. 2012. Latin American Foreign Policy Analysis: External Influences and Internal Circumstances. Foreign Policy Analysis 8, 4: 335–354.
  • Giacalone, Rita. 2015. Latin American Foreign Policy Analysis. In Foreign Policy Analysis Beyond North America., eds. Klaus Brummer and Valerie M. Hudson, 1st edition, 121–38. Boulder, CO, Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.
  • Guimarães, Feliciano de Sá, Ivan Filipe Fernandes, and Gerardo Maldonado. 2020. Domestic Attitudes toward Regional Leadership: A Survey Experiment in Brazil. Foreign Policy Analysis 16, 1: 98–117.
  • Jenne, Erin K. 2021. Populism, Nationalism and Revisionist Foreign Policy. International Affairs 97, 2: 323–343.
  • Malamud, Andrés. 2005. Presidential Diplomacy and the Institutional Underpinnings of MERCOSUR: An Empirical Examination. Latin American Research Review 40, 1: 138–164.
  • Malamud, Andrés. 2015. Presidentialist Decision Making in Latin American Foreign Policy. Examples from Regional Integration Processes. In Routledge Handbook of Latin America in the World, eds. Jorge I. Domínguez and Ana Covarrubias, 112–123. New York, NY, Taylor & Francis.
  • Merke, Federico, Diego Reynoso, and Luis Leandro Schenoni. 2020. Foreign Policy Change in Latin America: Exploring a Middle-Range Concept. Latin American Research Review 55, 3: 413–429.
  • Minke Contreras, Johannes. 2021. Towards Development-Oriented Foreign Policy in Latin America: The Cases of Ecuador and Chile. Bulletin of Latin American Research 40, 1: 117–132.
  • Pecequilo, Cristina Soreanu. 2022. Brazilian Foreign Policy: From the Combined to the Unbalanced Axis (2003/2021). Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional 64 :e011.
  • Quiliconi, Cintia, Julissa Castro Silva. 2024. Latin American International Political Economy: Contributions Beyond the Transatlantic Divide. International Affairs 100, 1: 61–80.
  • Schenoni, Luis L, Pedro Feliú Ribeiro, Dawisson Belém Lopes, and Guilherme Casarões. 2022. Myths of Multipolarity: The Sources of Brazil’s Foreign Policy Overstretch. Foreign Policy Analysis 18, 1: orab037.
  • Silva, André Luiz Reis da. 2022. Retraction or Consolidation? The Follow-up Phase in Dilma Rousseff’s Foreign Policy (2011-2016). Revista Brasileira de Política Internacional 64: e012.
  • Thiers, Consuelo. 2024. The Role of Political Leaders’ Emotions in Shaping International Rivalries: The Case of Former Bolivian President Evo Morales. Foreign Policy Analysis 20, 1: orad033.
  • Thiers, Consuelo, and Leslie E Wehner. 2022. The Personality Traits of Populist Leaders and Their Foreign Policies: Hugo Chávez and Donald Trump. International Studies Quarterly 66, 1: sqab083.
  • Villanueva, Ricardo. 2024. Alicia Moreau’s Socialist Feminism on War: Transcending Western Narratives.? International Affairs 100, 1: 81–99.
  • Villanueva, Ricardo, Jessica De Alba-Ulloa, Pedro González Olvera, and María Elena Lorenzini. 2024. Missing Voices: Latin American Perspectives in International Relations. International Affairs 100, 1: 1– 5.
  • Westhuizen, Janis van der. 2021. Status Signaling and the Risk of Domestic Opposition: Comparing South Africa and Brazil’s Hosting of the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. Foreign Policy Analysis 17, 3: orab004.
There are 30 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Regional Studies
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Consuelo Thiers This is me 0000-0002-7515-2354

Early Pub Date April 18, 2025
Publication Date September 18, 2025
Submission Date June 14, 2024
Acceptance Date April 11, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 22 Issue: 87

Cite

APA Thiers, C. (2025). Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi, 22(87), 147-163. https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1675147
AMA Thiers C. Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi. September 2025;22(87):147-163. doi:10.33458/uidergisi.1675147
Chicago Thiers, Consuelo. “Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review”. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi 22, no. 87 (September 2025): 147-63. https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1675147.
EndNote Thiers C (September 1, 2025) Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi 22 87 147–163.
IEEE C. Thiers, “Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review”, Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi, vol. 22, no. 87, pp. 147–163, 2025, doi: 10.33458/uidergisi.1675147.
ISNAD Thiers, Consuelo. “Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review”. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi 22/87 (September2025), 147-163. https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.1675147.
JAMA Thiers C. Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi. 2025;22:147–163.
MLA Thiers, Consuelo. “Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review”. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi, vol. 22, no. 87, 2025, pp. 147-63, doi:10.33458/uidergisi.1675147.
Vancouver Thiers C. Political Leaders’ Role in Latin American Foreign Policy: A Systematic Review. Uluslararası İlişkiler Dergisi. 2025;22(87):147-63.