Mexico And Argentina Are The Most Corrupt Countries In Latin America, Survey Reveals

[Bacchus4.0]

http://www.ibtimes.com/mexico-argentina-are-most-corrupt-countries-latin-america-survey-reveals-1340779#

In the unpleasant contest of which country is perceived as the most corrupt in Latin America, this year’s winner is a tie. Mexico and Argentina lead the list compiled by nonprofit group Transparency International, which examined the view citizens have over their governments and authorities as trustworthy and reliable entities.


Seventy-two percent of Argentines and 71 percent of Mexicans think their country’s corruption has grown in the past year. A close third is Venezuela, with 67 percent of population saying corruption runs rampant. It is precisely Venezuela the NGO gives as an example of classic corruption. A 50-year-old woman, Carmela, described the day when a group of policemen burst into her home and arrested her 27-year-old son and would not let him go free until she paid a ransom.

The report pointed out what institutions were the most affected, and results varied in different countries. The police was named the most corrupt entity in Bolivia, Venezuela, Mexico and El Salvador. Politicians and political parties shared the top spot in Mexico and Argentina and came just behind legislators as the top corrupt authority in Brazil.

Brazil, a country that has made headlines recently over massive protests targeting corruption, among other things, had a very modest 27 percent of population saying that corruption had increased a lot in the past year. However, 72 percent of respondents said that lawmakers were extremely corrupt. Uruguay and Colombia also pointed at legislators as their most corrupt authority.

[Socialistlemur]

1. This is perception but Venezuela has to be the worst

I've had to track the corruption issue in Venezuela and its by far a lot worse than anything else I've seen elsewhere except in Africa. Venezuela suffers from corruption at all levels, and this is in part due to government actions and policies, as well as the decay of the public prosecutors' offices and the justice system, which is a political branch of the ruling party.

[Bacchus4.0]

2. I don't disagree but given its a perception thing, its hard to say

they try to use measurable parameters like payment of bribes but that really can't get into systemic and organazational corruption.

The judicial system is probably the worst on the continent.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

3. See link

http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2013/2013-84.htm

The Venezuelan mentioned, María de los Ángeles González de Hernandez, was arrested in Miami as I recall.
Stunning corruption. Truly amazing.

[Socialistlemur]

4. This is a small sampler of Venezuela corruption

The corruption problem is pervasive in Venezuela. When Chavez became president he showed very little talent for governance, but was saved by the huge increase in oil prices caused by the huge demand surge from China and other nations which had enormous growth rates as they abandoned centralized state control economies. I'm not going to argue here about that particular subject, but I'll say it's easy to grow an economy like China's if Marxism is abandoned wholesale and replaced by a fascist capitalist caste system in which hundreds of millions of workers are abused as if they were slaves. They'll enjoy a free ride until they have a workers' revolution, I suppose.

Returning to Venezuela, while Chavez could paper over his misgovernance with petrodollars and massive debt, Maduro lacks that luxury and also had a very close election. So now we see Maduro going after corrupt officials....but the effort will be defeated by their structure. They have too many rules and regulations designed to allow more rather than less corruption. Officials have too much power, the justice system doesn't work, and the system is riddled with crooks working within the government. My mom used to say the one party system installed in socialist countries sets the table for its own decay because crooks join the party to gain power and fortune, and there's no way to defeat human nature. This is the reason why corruption is so prevalent in communist and fascist countries, the centralized party system is poison.

Venezuela has an opposition, and Capriles almost won the elections three months ago. But state power is concentrated and this includes all government branches. Therefore the opposition has a lot of people backing it but its powerless. Because its led by Capriles and he has shown to be a fairly mild mannered character, the PSUV cadres feel safe holding power. They think they'll hold it forever. And this is of course the poison pill. Their own confidence corrupts them, and it makes Venezuela fall in a tangle it can't escape from. This means in a sense we can say internal corruption is destroying the Bolivarian Revolution. And to make matters even worse, if anybody like me dares point this out openly to a Venezuelan official for the most part we get denial and insults. I think they realize at the top the problem is really serious, but like the currency devaluation and other measures they have to take, they only seem willing to go half way. I think in the end this patient will die.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

5. Like I keep saying,

it's just part and parcel of a supply region. By definition running a state dependent on a single resource is a winner-take-all enterprise. It'll be just as bad when the opposition wins the election. The only chance Venezuela has is to diversify its economy and escape total dependence on oil. I don't see that happening.