Post by scumbuster on Jan 30, 2022 14:12:13 GMT -5
Corruption keeps growing in Latin America, but most countries are fighting it the wrong way
The alarming levels of corruption in Mexico, Argentina and other Latin American countries, reflected in a new Transparency International survey, proves what many of us have long suspected: One-man solutions to combat corruption almost always are a failure. In fact, most presidents who campaigned promising to eradicate corruption — from Venezuela’s late authoritarian ruler Hugo Chavez to the current populist leaders of Mexico, Brazil and Argentina — have either failed to reduce graft or have made it worse.
There’s no magic personality-centered solution for the region’s corruption problems. According to the newly released 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, a Berlin-based group, some Latin American countries rank among the most corrupt in the world.
The TI ranking, which goes from the least to the most corrupt countries, places Denmark, Finland and New Zealand as the world’s most honest countries. Further down the list are the United States and Chile, which are tied in 27th place; Argentina and Brazil (96th); Peru (105th); Mexico (124th); Bolivia (128th); Nicaragua (164th); and Venezuela (177th). The ranking is largely based on polls measuring people’s views of their own countries’ government corruption levels.
“Unfortunately, almost all the countries in Latin America are either stagnant or backsliding in our latest ranking, compared to the previous one,” Luciana Torchiaro, Transparency International’s Latin America specialist, told me. In Latin America, Argentina declined the most in 2021, dropping four points compared to the previous year. A scandal involving VIP vaccinations for public officials and their friends added to the public perception of corruption surrounding president Alberto Fernandez’s government. A separate ranking entitled the Capacity to Combat Corruption (CCC) Index, released last year by the Americas Society and Control Risks, concluded that, “The fight against corruption in Latin America suffered a new wave of setbacks” in 2021.
The countries that received the lowest marks for their efforts to combat corruption in the CCC ranking were Venezuela, Bolivia, Guatemala, Paraguay and Mexico. Ironically, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claims almost daily that corruption in his country is a thing of the past, which he links to the “neo-liberal” governments that preceded him. The Miami Debate A weekly look at thought-provoking opinions from the Miami Herald’s Editorial Board, fresh insights from columnists and other local views.
“I can say there is no corruption. It’s over because the president is not corrupt, and he doesn’t tolerate the corrupt,” Lopez Obrador has said. Lopez Obrador is only one of several populist presidents who campaigned, and won, on an anti-corruption platform. But as Transparency International’s Torchiaro reminded me, the idea that a president can single-handedly fight against corruption is an illusion.
“In Latin America, we are used to bet on strong presidents, but the fight against corruption can’t be carried out by one single person, no matter how charismatic he or she is,” she told me. “It’s a collective effort that demands strong institutions.” I couldn’t agree more. Rather than strong leaders, Latin America needs strong institutions.
Based on recent experiences — starting with Venezuela, where Chavez rose to power promising to end corruption and turned Venezuela into one of the world’s most corrupt countries — Latin American nations should be especially wary of demagogues who claim they alone can clean up government graft. Instead of listening to empty promises, voters should look at whether presidential candidates promise to strengthen their countries’ checks and balances. They should support those who are most likely to appoint an independent attorney general, respect the separation of powers, allow press freedoms and provide funding for anti-corruption agencies.
“Too often, presidents make strong speeches against corruption, but then fail to give the necessary funds to allow these agencies to be effective,” Torchiaro said. International institutions, rich countries and the private sector should contribute more to the anti-corruption fight. And more civil society groups should join the cause, she said.
“One positive thing that has happened lately is that several groups that have other agendas, such as the feminist, LGBT, indigenous and environmental movements, have joined in the anti-corruption cause,” Torchiaro said. It’s no coincidence that Denmark and other northern European countries that are the most honest in the world are vibrant democracies. And it’s no accident that almost all of Latin America’s most corrupt countries, such as Venezuela and Nicaragua, are dictatorships.
www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/andres-oppenheimer/article257840193.html#storylink=cpy
The alarming levels of corruption in Mexico, Argentina and other Latin American countries, reflected in a new Transparency International survey, proves what many of us have long suspected: One-man solutions to combat corruption almost always are a failure. In fact, most presidents who campaigned promising to eradicate corruption — from Venezuela’s late authoritarian ruler Hugo Chavez to the current populist leaders of Mexico, Brazil and Argentina — have either failed to reduce graft or have made it worse.
There’s no magic personality-centered solution for the region’s corruption problems. According to the newly released 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, a Berlin-based group, some Latin American countries rank among the most corrupt in the world.
The TI ranking, which goes from the least to the most corrupt countries, places Denmark, Finland and New Zealand as the world’s most honest countries. Further down the list are the United States and Chile, which are tied in 27th place; Argentina and Brazil (96th); Peru (105th); Mexico (124th); Bolivia (128th); Nicaragua (164th); and Venezuela (177th). The ranking is largely based on polls measuring people’s views of their own countries’ government corruption levels.
“Unfortunately, almost all the countries in Latin America are either stagnant or backsliding in our latest ranking, compared to the previous one,” Luciana Torchiaro, Transparency International’s Latin America specialist, told me. In Latin America, Argentina declined the most in 2021, dropping four points compared to the previous year. A scandal involving VIP vaccinations for public officials and their friends added to the public perception of corruption surrounding president Alberto Fernandez’s government. A separate ranking entitled the Capacity to Combat Corruption (CCC) Index, released last year by the Americas Society and Control Risks, concluded that, “The fight against corruption in Latin America suffered a new wave of setbacks” in 2021.
The countries that received the lowest marks for their efforts to combat corruption in the CCC ranking were Venezuela, Bolivia, Guatemala, Paraguay and Mexico. Ironically, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claims almost daily that corruption in his country is a thing of the past, which he links to the “neo-liberal” governments that preceded him. The Miami Debate A weekly look at thought-provoking opinions from the Miami Herald’s Editorial Board, fresh insights from columnists and other local views.
“I can say there is no corruption. It’s over because the president is not corrupt, and he doesn’t tolerate the corrupt,” Lopez Obrador has said. Lopez Obrador is only one of several populist presidents who campaigned, and won, on an anti-corruption platform. But as Transparency International’s Torchiaro reminded me, the idea that a president can single-handedly fight against corruption is an illusion.
“In Latin America, we are used to bet on strong presidents, but the fight against corruption can’t be carried out by one single person, no matter how charismatic he or she is,” she told me. “It’s a collective effort that demands strong institutions.” I couldn’t agree more. Rather than strong leaders, Latin America needs strong institutions.
Based on recent experiences — starting with Venezuela, where Chavez rose to power promising to end corruption and turned Venezuela into one of the world’s most corrupt countries — Latin American nations should be especially wary of demagogues who claim they alone can clean up government graft. Instead of listening to empty promises, voters should look at whether presidential candidates promise to strengthen their countries’ checks and balances. They should support those who are most likely to appoint an independent attorney general, respect the separation of powers, allow press freedoms and provide funding for anti-corruption agencies.
“Too often, presidents make strong speeches against corruption, but then fail to give the necessary funds to allow these agencies to be effective,” Torchiaro said. International institutions, rich countries and the private sector should contribute more to the anti-corruption fight. And more civil society groups should join the cause, she said.
“One positive thing that has happened lately is that several groups that have other agendas, such as the feminist, LGBT, indigenous and environmental movements, have joined in the anti-corruption cause,” Torchiaro said. It’s no coincidence that Denmark and other northern European countries that are the most honest in the world are vibrant democracies. And it’s no accident that almost all of Latin America’s most corrupt countries, such as Venezuela and Nicaragua, are dictatorships.
www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/andres-oppenheimer/article257840193.html#storylink=cpy