Strategic Studies Quarterly

Abstract Opposition is commonly conceptualized in political science as an endogenous actor rooted in civil society and performing a corrective or constraining role in relation to state power. This article re-examines that assumption in the context of the Global South, where domestic political conflict is often intertwined with sanctions, external pressure, and geopolitical intervention. Drawing on Southern Theory and a Gramscian understanding of hegemony, the study distinguishes analytically between “endogenous opposition” and “opposition aligned with hegemonic powers.” Using a qualitative, interpretive, and comparative case-study design, it examines the political currents surrounding Reza Pahlavi in Iran and María Corina Machado in Venezuela. The analysis is based on documentary sources and focuses on three indicators: institutional and financial linkages with foreign powers, legitimization of economic sanctions, and acceptance or normalization of external military pressure. The findings show that, in the periods and cases examined, both currents display recurring patterns of alignment with external pressure strategies. However, this classification does not imply that they were entirely created abroad, lack domestic grievances or supporters, or operate under direct foreign command. Nor does the study measure their precise social support or predict their political future. The article argues that some opposition currents in the Global South may, intentionally or unintentionally, contribute to the reproduction of global domination when sustained external linkages are combined with the legitimization of sanctions and the normalization of military pressure.