Evo Morales, Donald Trump, Cristina Kirchner, and Jair Bolsonaro: victims of political violence.

In recent years, the personal security of political leaders has deteriorated. This trend began with the attack on Jair Bolsonaro, continued with the attempt of murdering Cristina Kirchner and culminated this past weekend with the attack against Evo Morales. Meanwhile, societal violence, which accompanies this trend, is exhibited, for example, in the attacks against Muslim immigrants last August in the United Kingdom. All this turbulence occurs within the framework of a deep identity crisis in the West, where democratic values of pluralism and tolerance are being eroded. 

Crisis of Representation and Polarization in the West

In the United States, political polarization is reaching concerning levels. In the context of the elections, polls reveal that 54% of Republicans believe there will be a civil war in this decade and 41% of Democrats agree. These figures only worsen in the face of events like the two assassination attempts against Donald Trump, or the entrenched belief among Republican voters that there are possibilities of massive electoral fraud in next Tuesday's elections. 

The storming of the Capitol in January 2021 was a clear indicator of this intolerance that continues to grow in the United States. We all remember how supporters of Donald Trump tried to prevent the certification of electoral results, revealing the growing distrust of citizens towards the country’s institutions. This fact becomes even more alarming given the possibility that if the Republican Party loses the elections again, that distrust and questioning about the veracity of electoral results could trigger a similar crisis or, potentially, plunge us into an unknown and dangerous territory for the democratic stability of the world’s leading power.

Europe has not been exempt from political violence. Despite its institutions promoting multiculturalism and tolerance, violence and polarization have also affected the old continent. In July and August, the United Kingdom was shaken by a mass murder perpetrated by a person of African descent. The situation worsened when rumors began circulating on social media claiming the murderer was an illegal immigrant of Muslim origin. This unleashed chaos in the streets of the UK, where demonstrators, attacking the police, displayed their xenophobia by storming a hospital dedicated to caring for immigrants. Some international media compared this event to the Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) in Germany. However, the murderer was neither Muslim nor an immigrant, but a second-generation migrant, meaning an English man.

Latin America is not lagging behind. The cycle of political violence began with a stabbing against Jair Bolsonaro during his electoral campaign in 2018, an incident that shook the Brazilian campaign of 2018. This was followed by the assassination attempt against Cristina Kirchner in 2022, another image for  the collection that was left to the side after images as drastic as body bags and guillotines in Plaza de Mayo. That same year, Brazil experienced one of its most violent presidential campaigns in recent times, with a tragic toll of 40 fatalities, highlighting the intensity of political conflicts. Additionally, the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, a presidential candidate in Ecuador, marked the first successful attack in this long and tragic list of incidents. 

Social Media and the Pauperization of the Post-Pandemic

Many analysts have highlighted the role of social media in the resurgence of violence that transitions from the virtual realm to the real. However, it is important to consider that, beyond their role as communication platforms, social media also express the frustrations of a Western society whose quality of life has been significantly impacted by the restrictions during the pandemic.

These restrictions caused economic crises in developing countries and have intensified migration trends that already existed before the pandemic. Currently, the European Union is openly debating the establishment of relocation camps in third countries, like Albania, where migrants should remain while their immigration procedures are processed. This context has exacerbated expressions of xenophobia and racism, which have found fertile ground for growth on social media.

Furthermore, inflation and rising energy and living costs after the Russian invasion of Ukraine have worsened living conditions, intensifying frustration and the search for scapegoats in this difficult context. For the first time in the history of the United Kingdom, the BBC reported about citizens who have been forced to skip meals due to the inflationary crisis.

The New Faces of Polarization

Political violence in the West reflects a profound crisis of identity and representation, exacerbated by a series of socioeconomic and cultural factors. The attacks against political leaders and citizens in Latin America, the United States, and Europe evidence a growing polarization and distrust towards democratic institutions, while social media acts as amplifiers of this discontent. This is further compounded by the pressure of post-pandemic economic crises and the management of migration flows, which intensify xenophobia and racism. This complex and multifaceted landscape challenges the values of pluralism and tolerance that have historically defined Western democracies, posing a crucial challenge to stability and social cohesion in an increasingly interconnected world.