IRMA-International.org: Creator of Knowledge
Information Resources Management Association
Advancing the Concepts & Practices of Information Resources Management in Modern Organizations

Digital Fascism in Electoral Campaigns: The Criminalization of Political Opponents in the 2025 Ecuadorian Elections

Digital Fascism in Electoral Campaigns: The Criminalization of Political Opponents in the 2025 Ecuadorian Elections
View Sample PDF
Author(s): Rebeca Sanchez Figuera (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain)and Fernando Casado Gutierrez (Universidad Bolivariana de Ecuador, Ecuador)
Copyright: 2026
Pages: 48
Source title: Digital Ideologies in the Age of Algorithmic Culture
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Esra Gökçen Kaygisiz (University of Giresun, Turkey)
DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3373-4531-4.ch003

Purchase


Abstract

Fascism has transformed from a 20th-century political model—characterized by hierarchical organization, a charismatic leader, and state-controlled repression—into a contemporary “digital fascism.” This new variant operates not through centralized party structures, but via decentralized, informal swarms on digital platforms. It adapts traditional authoritarian, exclusionary, and ultranationalist logics to the online ecosystem, employing disinformation, polarization, and hate speech to undermine democratic deliberation. This study analyzes digital fascism strategies through a case study of President Daniel Noboa's official X account (@DanielNoboaOk) during Ecuador's 2025 electoral campaign. Using a mixed-methods approach, it combines qualitative discourse analysis with quantitative engagement metrics. The research examines twelve original posts from January to April 2025 that contain accusations against opponent Luisa González, analyzing discursive frames and viralization strategies to understand this modern authoritarian phenomenon in Latin America.

Related Content

Somesh Varandani, Amit Kumar Jain, Kirti Varandani. © 2026. 32 pages.
Silvio Andrae. © 2026. 34 pages.
Rebeca Sanchez Figuera, Fernando Casado Gutierrez. © 2026. 48 pages.
S. Yogananthan, Ravishankar S. Ulle, Bharath Sampath, Shashi Kant Dikshit, Balaji Gopalan. © 2026. 36 pages.
Amol Aanand Saxena, Charu Sehgal, Babita. © 2026. 30 pages.
Vijeta Parihar, Twinkle Singh. © 2026. 32 pages.
Dhemy Brito, José Gabriel Andrade. © 2026. 24 pages.
Body Bottom