The combination of public manifestations that happen all over the world, in Latin America especially in Chile and Argentina, taking thousands of people to the streets, in conjunction with populist governments, as in Brazil, based in intense participation via social networks, indicate a possible weakening, if not bankruptcy, of a classic model of political governance, based on conventional institutions. With the advent of the convid-19 pandemic, new questions have arisen. The people on the streets were pushed into their homes. However, even though the pandemic has transformed the environment in many ways, a good reflection on the functioning of the institutions, the streets and the networks remains valid and imperative. This was the focus of the seminar in Cycle “IEAT 20-years” that aimed to debate the theme “Are the institutions really working? People in the streets and populism in the networks”.

The webinar “Cycle “IEAT 20-years: Are the institutions really working? People in the streets and populism in the networks” was presented by professors Andrés Malamud from the University of Lisbon, Gilberto Aranda from the University of Chile, Bruno Reis from the Political Science Department at UFMG and Geane Alzamora from the Social Communication Department at UFMG. The event was moderated by Dawisson Belém Lopes, deputy director of the Office of International Affairs of UFMG and professor at the Political Science Department at UFMG.