Populist foreign policy: cases of Argentina, Colombia, Türkiye, and Venezuela

This article examines the foreign policies of Argentina (Néstor Kirchner), Colombia (Álvaro Uribe Vélez), Türkiye (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan), and Venezuela (Nicolás Maduro) through the analytical framework established by Destradi and Plagemann (2019). It seeks to determine whether these countries’ foreign relations during their respective presidencies were characterized by a) increased bilateral conflict, b) a weakening of global governance and its institutions, and c) the development of more centralized and personalized foreign policies. Additionally, this study introduces a fourth variable – the emergence of new international partnerships – to provide a more comprehensive analysis. By identifying key events and trends in each president’s foreign policy, the article employs both primary sources (official speeches) and secondary literature to substantiate the proposed categories of analysis. The findings indicate that while there are notable similarities across these leaders’ approaches, each case reveals unique dynamics that shape their international interactions and influence global governance.