Representation of protesters in social mobilization

Ecuador 2019 and Colombia 2021

Abstract

From 2019, Latin America experienced a wave of intense demonstrations in several countries in the region. In this context of social effervescence, several organisations have denounced human rights violations by State agents against protesters. This work analyses the discursive strategies to represent social actors, as well as the Agent-Patient relationship, implemented on the front pages of two written media: Diario El Expreso from Ecuador and Revista Semana from Colombia. In methodological terms, we use the tools proposed by van Leeuwen (1996, 2008) in his Social Actor-Network model. This methodological approach, widely recognised in the academic literature, allows us to illuminate a central aspect of every political phenomenon: how the "Other" is constructed through discursive practices. We conclude that there was a clear framing in the two analysed media, showing the protester as a threat; this contributed to dehumanise the participants and justified State agents' actions.