Breaking chains: Colombian social protests of 2021 and the virtual revolution of political identities

As a result of the crisis of legitimacy in the Colombian political system, there has been widespread mistrust of institutions among the civilian population. Thus, during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 national strike, social media, especially Twitter, became essential platforms for political expression, mobilisation, and identity reconstruction. This article analyzes the role of Twitter in the reconstruction of political identities during the 2021 social protests in Colombia, examining how digital interactions shaped collective action and political polarisation. Furthermore, Melucci's theory of collective action, Kaldor's concept of new forms of politics, and Hegel's theories of political identity form the theoretical basis of this study. Methodologically, virtual ethnography and qualitative analysis of 216 tweets posted by leaders across the Colombian political spectrum during the national strike were used.The results show that Twitter functioned as a virtual rallying tool, amplifying radical discourses, facilitating the coordination of social demands, and contributing to the restructuring of political identities. These online actions also translated into mobilizations outside the online space, restructuring existing patterns of participation. In conclusion, Twitter played a vital role in transforming political identities and structures in Colombia, both by enabling new forms of mobilisation and by intensifying radicalisation and misinformation.