Ideological Reconfiguration of the Right in Ecuadorian Public Opinion (2008- 2023)

Between the Acceptance of Civil Rights and the Rejection of Economic Redistribution

Abstract

This article explores the ideological landscape of right-wing patterns in Ecuadorian public opinion, analyzing shifts before and after the Rafael Correa administrations. Through descriptive and cluster analyses using data from the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) from 2008 to 2023, various right-wing tendencies are identified. While opposition to redistributive economic policies serves as a central axis, notable differences emerge in attitudes toward civil rights and democratic values. Some groups show more authoritarian and conservative inclinations, while others adopt more socially liberal stances, yet consistently maintain resistance to economic redistribution. The findings suggest that, although resistance to economic redistribution forms the ideological core of the right in Ecuador, the right-wing spectrum within public opinion reflects a diverse range of perspectives on public morality, democratic values, and social mobilization