The Erosion of Institutional Capacity to Combat Corruption in the Americas
Corruption is a prominent global public policy challenge of the 21st century. It is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that impacts societies in multiple ways. It affects the development of democracies and the rule of law, weakens government institutions, hinders economic growth, degrades the environment, and ramp up the violation of human rights. The transnational flow of people, materials, and information has remarkably increased the levels of interactions at different spatial and administrative scales. Consequently, large networks of interrelated players across borders developing complex corruption structures and schemes are seen in cases such as the Pandora Papers or Odebrecht, while national corruption scandals involving business, shell companies, government officials, and political parties are equally escalated in many countries of the Americas.
In a more connected world than ever, larger amounts of data and information are also produced massively from various sources, ranging from journalism, civil society organizations, oversight agencies, and government. Nevertheless, political use of criminal justice, constant budget cutbacks to prosecution and accountability institutions, degradation of operation capacity, and selective austerity policies pose new challenges for intelligence, prosecution, and policymaking.
This conference addresses a regions' paradox: while more sophisticated national and transnational corruption schemes expand, the institutional capacities of governments to prevent and combat corruption are being eroded. What should innovative anti-corruption strategies look like, and what are the key influential actors in this context?
Speakers:
- Sergio López Ayllón, CIDE, Mexico.
- Roberto Saba, Unversidad de Palermo, Argentina.
- Cristian Priscoff, University of Chile, Chile.
- Peniley Ramírez, NYC-based Journalist.
- Carmen Eloísa Ruiz, Externado University, Colombia
- Vladimir Aras, Federal Appelate Prosecutor, Brasil
Moderators:
- Hugo Concha, IIJ-UNAM
- Issa Luna-Pla, Visiting Scholar at Columbia University
