Abstract
In 2005, the electoral victory of the Frente Amplio (FA) changed the Uruguayan political opportunity structure. This left-wing party was an ally to the country’s social movements in several campaigns against right-wing ruling governments between 1985 and 2004. The FA remained in power for 15 years. What were the changes in the country’s historical articulation pattern between social and political actors? How did these changes affect the country’s sociopolitical conflicts? In this article we will focus on three emerging expressions of conflict that accounted for unprecedented relationship patterns between social movements, the political system and the government: the protesting wave of environmental movement against direct foreign investment, anti-rights groups’ reaction to the new rights agenda, and the movement Un Solo Uruguay, which raised redistributive issues in connection with rural unions’ traditional demands. These cases explore two important breakthroughs. On the one hand, they effectively break with the historical articulation between FA and the social movements. On the other, the rise of social movements linked to right-wing party claims.
Keywords
Uruguay; Frente Amplio; social movements; social conflicts