Journalistic discourse in contexts of social mobilization. Case study of the newspapers El Comercio and La República on the events of violence of January 9, 2023, in the Peruvian highlands

Urbina F.M.C.; Delgado M.I.A. · Desde el Sur (2025) · DOI: 10.21142/des-1704-2025-0094

Resumen

This article analyzes the behavior of Lima’smainstream press in the context of the social mobilizations against the government of Dina Boluarte in early 2023. It examines the narratives articulated by the Lima newspapers El Comercio and La República. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) was used to analyze the violent events of January 9, 2023, in the city of Juliaca, Puno, in the Peruvian highlands, where 17 civilians and one police officer lost their lives. The study found that El Comercio constructed a representation of the demonstration as a predominantly violent act, negatively stigmatizing the protesters. La República, on the other hand, emphasized the civilian victims and the political and social tensions stemming from state repression. The article concludes that the Lima’s mainstream press employs specific textual and visual approaches that shape dichotomous discourses regarding both the protesters and the security forces, as well as the meaning of the social mobilization itself.

Instituciones: Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya