The growing ideological polarization in Ecuador under Rafael Correa’s government

Abstract

The article presents a descriptive analysis of the process of ideological polarization that took place in Ecuador during the decade-long government of Rafael Correa. Based on data from the AmericasBarometer surveys of the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP), we propose a measure of ideological polarization based on citizens’ self-positioning on the ideological left-right scale. Based on the proposed indicator, we perform an analysis of the evolution of the levels of ideological polarization found in the Ecuadorian citizenry before the arrival of Correa to power until two years after the end of his mandate. Among the main findings, we observe a gradual increment in the polarization indicator, that reaches its maximum level in 2016. We also find an increase in the ideological self-positioning of citizens that takes place both in the left and the right ends of the ideological spectrum. We conclude by briefly discussing the possible consequences of increasing ideological polarization in general terms and for Ecuadorian politics in particular.