Cristina Kirchner and Dilma Rousseff: politics under the crossfire of lawfare and misogyny

Abstract

This article examines the political trajectory of two former presidents: Cristina Kirchner, who led Argentina from 2007 to 2015 and was vice-president of the country between 2019 and 2023; and Dilma Rousseff, who assumed the role of president of Brazil in 2010, being re-elected in 2014. Although with different trajectories, the two leave the government political scene under strong threats (of physical aggression, imprisonment and even being murdered). Kirchner and Rousseff were overwhelmed by a new way of eliminating opponents in politics: lawfare. Defenders of ultra-neoliberal projects did not shy away from resorting to misogynistic devices and gender violence to politically delegitimize them. One of the most expressive results of this process was the advance of political forces from the right-wing and far-right spectrums in both countries.