Populist international (dis)order? Lessons from world-order visions in Latin American populism.

The article examines the concept of a "populist international order" (PIO) by exploring how populist leaders envision an alternative to the liberal international order (LIO). It proposes three normative pillars characterizing a PIO: fractured, symbolic small-scale multilateralism ("minilateralism"); a selective, conditional embrace of the rule of law based on the perceived will of the "real people"; and an anti-pluralist, monolithic notion of popular sovereignty replacing the LIO's commitment to pluralism. Using case studies of Latin American populist leaders Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil), Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela), and Andrés Manuel López Obrador (Mexico), the article finds that while all three exhibit elements of these pillars in their foreign policies, the extent and manner vary according to domestic political constraints and international positioning. The study highlights the potential implications of populism for global governance and calls for further research on how populist world-order visions might interact with evolving international systems.