Complex and Critical Analysis of Discourses Verbvisual journalistic between Bolivia and Chile in the context of demand for Bolivian maritime sovereignty

Abstract

Mass media plays a critical role within construction, legitimation and representation of different social and cultural realities, which generate institutional guidelines of some identity processes amongst land borders, reproducing unequal relationships based on prejudices and stereotypes. Bordering countries have divergent historical discourses about unity and conflicts even about the same historical rivalries. Nevertheless time is not enough for healing old war wounds as happening with the War of the Pacific (18791883) between Chile and allied Bolivia and Peru. Considering that context, the most important newspaper of Bolivia, La Razón and Chile El Mercurio are analysed in order to highlight processes of discursive construction within each nation state (Bolivia and Chile), and how these discourses are maintained and legitimized throughout time.