International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

Populism and Health Policy in Latin America; Comment on “A Scoping Review of Populist Radical Right Parties’ Influence on Welfare Policy and its Implications for Population Health in Europe”

Document Type : Commentary

Authors
Mary A. Clark 1
Amy Patterson 2
1 Department of Political Science, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
2 Department of Politics, University of the South, Sewanee, TN, USA
10.34172/ijhpm.2020.153
Abstract
This commentary focuses on Latin America, a region known for its rich variety of populist politicians and some of the most extensive welfare states in the Global South. Contemporary Latin America offers examples of left-wing and right-wing populist leaders, none of whom demonstrate the same focus on excluding immigrants from welfare state benefits as that noted by Chiari Rinaldi and Marleen Bekker in the European context. We see this contrast not because immigrants’ access to health services is less important in Latin America, but because Latin American populists are more focused on internal “enemies.” The commentary concludes with observations regarding Latin American populist leaders’ handling of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Keywords
Populism
Latin America
Health Policy
Subjects
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International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 10, Issue 9
September 2021
Pages 585-587

  • Received Date 24 June 2020
  • Revised Date 03 August 2020
  • Accepted Date 04 August 2020
  • First Published Date 01 September 2021
  • Published Date 01 September 2021