Bolivia and Colombia move culture under right-leaning governments

Right-leaning governments in Latin America are making changes to cultural policy and funding as they promote ideas they describe as national values or a culture war.

In Bolivia, President Rodrigo Paz took office last November after nearly two decades of left-wing leadership.

Facing a severe economic crisis, his government reduced the number of ministries from 14 to 12 and eliminated the ministry that oversaw culture.

Culture is now a vice-ministry under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which also took over oversight of several cultural institutions.

A cultural organisations’ platform condemned the change and warned that the arts are not an ornament or an add-on to tourism.

In Colombia, President Abelardo de la Espriella appointed Paola Holguín as culture minister and described her as ready to wage a culture war.

These moves show how culture has become a focus of political conflict, but the available information does not say what further policy changes are planned.