Machado and the Nobel of discord: when bringing democracy through non-democratic means backfires
AnalysisAnalysis of political leadership, democratic legitimacy, and counterproductive effects in polarized contexts.
Featured publications and collaborations in Jot Down, Frontera D, Latinoamérica21, and the personal blog “El mundo desde un taburete”. Main lines of work: the Western Balkans, Serbia, the European Union, the war in Ukraine, nationalist populisms, and far-right movements in Europe. Additional collaborations include educational magazines such as Punto y Coma and digital media across Latin America.
Brussels seems more concerned with the region’s political stability and strategic resources than with supporting an unprecedented civic and democratic movement in recent years. This movement could be an example for Europeans, who are watching as if they were just bystanders to an “inevitable” rise of the far right. The real threat is not a supposed Serbian ethnic nationalism; it lies in Europe itself. Serbian youth act as an antidote, not as a threat.
A symbolic “grave” for Predrag Koraksić Corax can be understood as a tribute to a man who, through his drawings, chronicled the political and moral transformations of Serbia and the former Yugoslavia. His work moves between satire and testimony, between initiation into political awareness and a constant confrontation with authoritarian power. Corax’s caricatures do not simply illustrate events; they expose the “Homo milosevanus” — a symbolic type of human shaped by the era of Slobodan Milošević: marked by nationalism, propaganda, fear, and manipulation. In this sense, his drawings function as visual documents of initiation into political reality, where irony becomes a tool of resistance. Through decades of work, Corax built a visual language that required no words. His figures — often grotesque, exaggerated, and stripped of disguise — reveal the essence of power and its abuses. His satire was not meant as insult, but as critique: sharp, ironic, and deeply human.
In the face of civilizational erasure, Bad Bunny’s music ceased to be mere entertainment and became an expression of identity, a memory of lineage, and a form of cultural resistance.
Far from being residual practices, these methods persist and expand as a political tool to roll back rights, even where they once seemed consolidated. Conversion therapies, known as SOGIECE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Change Efforts), are neither practices of the past nor marginal phenomena: they are the most regressive banner of a global offensive against LGBTIQ+ rights, a facet of the relentless advance of worldwide ultraconservatism. This reaction draws on the construct of “gender ideology” as a mobilizing force.
Analysis of political leadership, democratic legitimacy, and counterproductive effects in polarized contexts.
When a correct reading of the geopolitical zeitgeist is not enough María Corina Machado, the de facto leader of the Venezuelan opposition, was adept at reading the pulse of international geopolitics, which is characterised by the rise of far-right populism and strong leaders for whom democratic standards or human rights are not a priority correcto? ahora alemán fácil
Geopolitical reading of alliances, narratives, and strategic risks within the Venezuelan opposition.
Reflection on international pragmatism and the erosion of political figures in highly instrumentalized contexts.
Critical analysis of the media and international construction of symbolic candidacies in Latin America.
In Germany, aside from a few notable exceptions, there is a widespread lack of awareness—especially among the political class. From the conservatives of the CDU/CSU, who at times flirt with the far right, to the Social Democrats of the SPD, all seem united by a certain cynicism, even reshaping nationality laws. A telling case is that of a stateless man born in Syria, whose family was expelled by Israel. His application for German citizenship was denied for refusing to recognize Israel—the very state that deprived him of everything. This sets a troubling precedent. One thing is certain: lawyers will advise applicants to stay silent and avoid criticizing Israel.
Report and analysis of social mobilization in Serbia in the face of authoritarian dynamics and regional passivity.
A critical review of the rise of global authoritarianism identifies Viktor Orbán’s Hungary as one of its prime examples. Welcome to a world of double standards, where rights are being curtailed and an offensive against the LGBTI community is being pursued. A testing laboratory for Europe and for far-right populism worldwide
They are not rioters or reckless young people looking for trouble. Nor are they isolated voices shouting into the void. They are activists, both on the streets and online, who take part in protests, document them, and call on others to join. Thousands of them use cameras, phones, and words to capture the pulse of a country in turmoil. Their actions are a form of resistance against a government that is steadily dismantling democracy and moving towards authoritarianism. Today, with the rise of far-right politics and nationalist populism across Europe and the world, we see ourselves reflected in the determined Serbian students. Their struggle in a country that is not a full democracy is a warning for what could happen elsewhere.
ust weeks ago, we witnessed the far-right’s victory in Thuringia, and a near-win in Saxony-Anhalt. The winner in Thuringia is Björn Höcke, a neo-Nazi whose aggressive rhetoric is well-known across Germany. While he represents one facet of the far-right’s strategy—gaining power through elections—others lean toward a more revolutionary approach, and some are preparing to rebuild a lost empire, interconnected in a growing network. In this article, we dive into these dynamics, focusing on the latest developments in Brandenburg.