Entre Camaradas: The Transformation of Anticommunist Rhetoric in Colombia Through the Discourse of Laureano Gómez and Álvaro Uribe Vélez

Though the Soviet Union fell decades ago, the red specter of communism still looms
large over parts of the world, including Colombia. In this thesis, I explore the anticommunist
rhetoric in Colombia through the discourse of two former presidents who lived in two very
different realities. I compare the discourse of Laureano Gómez with that of Álvaro Uribe Vélez,
using a speech titled “El Basilisco” as a case study of Gómez’s discourse and various tweets
published by Uribe between 2016 and 2018 as examples of his discourse. I argue that while
communism was a “real” threat during Gómez’s time and within his rhetoric, for Uribe, his
anticommunist discourse function less as an expression of a real threat and more as a tool that
leverages the history and context of Colombia and to a certain extent Venezuela. I place the
discourse of both men firmly within the general context that shaped their time, meaning that I
explore various events that occurred during the 20th century in Colombia, paying particular
attention to the position of Marxism within Colombian society. Furthermore, I also briefly
discuss the implications of the evolution of communication from the present day in comparison
to the 1940s and 50s. I also engage with various literature across multiple fields such as history,
communication, and political science.