Faking Transparency
Corruption seems to be a defining factor in Latin American politics and how people perceive and judge their governments. Just look at some of Latin American giants; Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, and their recent election results. In Argentina, only 30 percent of the population approved of Macri’s actions against corruption, and the election of Alberto Fernandez and Cristina Fernández further proved that. Brazil’s Lava Jato (Car Wash) crackdown operation has led to the prosecution of 159 people and the topic took center stage during the country’s last elections. And, in Mexico, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador rode a wave of anti-corruption sentiment from the corruption-riddled by Peña Nieto’s administration.
Corruption seems to be the topic that never ceases to amaze in Latin America. Every day, candidates, seem to be less judged on their political views or their action plans, and more on their honesty and transparency. You can spot how people have reacted to this debate, in regime changes as well as the creation of yearly reports on corruption and how the public opinion regards it by organizations such as Transparency International.
Transparency International’s latest report on the Global Corruption Barometer for Latin America and the Caribbean shows 83 percent of Latin Americans perceive corruption as a major problem, with 53 percent saying it increased over the past year and another 57 percent think that their government’s anti-corruption efforts fall short.
However, these drab figures obscure regional disparities in how widespread citizens perceive corruption to be.
Corruption is often associated with authoritarianism, economic malaise, and a breakdown in the rule of law. Unsurprisingly, Venezuela tops the list when it comes to perceptions of corruption. The survey shows 87 percent of Venezuelans say there has been an increase in corruption over the last 12 months and 91 percent have little to no trust in their government.
Although most pay attention to the human rights abuses and ongoing humanitarian crisis, everyday corruption is often less discussed but is pernicious. The survey shows that 50 percent of Venezuelans claim to have paid a bribe to get access to basic services, which only worsens the humanitarian crisis in the country.
At the other end of the spectrum is Costa Rica, a country with a history of strong democratic institutions where the rule of law is respected. Only 7 percent of Costa Ricans claim to be affected by corruption, having the lowest reported bribery rate in the region. It also has the second-highest number of people who believe citizens can fight corruption. Nonetheless, even in Costa Rica, 49 percent believe corruption increased over the past year and only 40 percent approve of the way the government is handling the issue. Leaving still, a lot to be desired for a country that is at the top of this list.
Corruption affects all aspects of life in Latin America and the report highlights how much more is there to do. However, key to anti-corruption efforts is empowering individuals and civil society with concrete actions to strengthen democratic governance against corruption. Indeed, 77 percent of Latin Americans believe that it is in their hands to fight against corruption.
It is up to governments to take advantage of this public sentiment and effectively tackle corruption, and this report includes some thought-provoking ideas as well as concrete actions. Nonetheless, it also means candidates could use corruption as political leverage during their campaigns and never really address the issue, but rather, do as many have done before and lead with fake promises.
