Political Communication on Social Media and Its Influence on Digital User Support

An Analysis of Presidential Campaigns in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia

Bibliographic Data

ID21633218
AuthorsCarlos Fernando Osorio Andrade (0000-0002-5095-4991, Universidad del Valle, corresponding author), Edwin Arango Espinal (0000-0002-2231-3513, Universidad del Valle), William Lyon Benoit (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
Year2026
Volume77
Issue1
Pages147-164
Publication date2026-01-02
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCommunication Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1051-0974 • E-ISSN: 1745-1035
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10510974.2025.2574004
OpenAlexW4415729567
LanguageEN
References cited35

Political communication on social media has reshaped the interaction between candidates and voters during electoral campaigns. This study examines the strategies employed on Instagram during the presidential elections in Mexico (2024), Brazil (2022), and Colombia (2022), applying Benoit’s functional theory of political discourse. Through the analysis of 3,287 posts, the functions of discourse (acclaims, attacks, and defenses) and the addressed themes (policy and character) are evaluated. The results of a negative binomial regression reveal that defenses increase comments by 58.6% and likes by 57.2%. Notably in the context of Instagram candidates’ direct responses to criticism (defenses) appear to foster greater audience engagement. Attacks generate more comments but reduce likes while acclaims negatively impact both metrics. Past actions enhance likes whereas future proposals diminish them. Videos prove highly effective increasing comments by 59.3% and likes by 55.5%. The originality of this study lies in its focus on three of Latin America’s major democracies, the empirical evaluation of political strategies on Instagram (a visually dominant and increasingly influential platform in politics), and a novel application of Benoit’s theory to measure discourse effectiveness in this specific digital context in Latin America. These findings suggest that Instagram’s interaction dynamics may privilege certain types of communication, such as direct confrontation or the validation of past actions, and underscore the power of multimedia content

Digital media · Political communication · Politics · Presidential campaign · Presidential system · Social media · Cultural and political discourse analysis · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Social Media and Politics

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