| Political corruption |
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| Forms and concepts |
| Anti-corruption |
| Corruption by country |
Costa Rica generally has low corruption and is regarded as the least corrupt nation in Central America. [1] [2] Its anti-corruption laws are generally well enforced. However, there are persistent problems with high level corruption and most notably, every president who has taken office since 1990s has faced allegations of corrupt behavior. [3]
Rising corruption became a matter of grave concern to the people of Costa Rica in the early 2000s when a newly assertive press reporting on government corruption sparked public outrage. Strides have been made in combatting corruption through the introduction of robust laws and anti-corruption agencies by successive governments. A free and sophisticated investigative press and independent prosecutors are working hard to clamp down on official corruption. However, state agencies combatting corruption are allocated limited resources, hindering their ability to fight corruption. Another concern is the increasing influence of wealthy drug cartels in the region. [4]
On Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, Costa Rica scored 55 on a scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean"). When ranked by score, Costa Rica ranked 45th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. [5] For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90 (ranked 1), the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11 (ranked 180). [6] For comparison with regional scores, the highest score among the countries of the Americas [Note 1] was 76, the average score was 43 and the lowest score was 13. [7] >
A major scandal shook Costa Rica in June 2020. It was discovered that private companies offered luxurious houses and cars to state officials in exchange for preferential treatment. Constructors used false invoices as well as inflated prices as means to factor in the bribe paid to state officials, which stood at 78 billion Colone or $125 million . A top aide of then President Carlos Alvarado Quesada was also associated with this scandal, who shortly resigned afterwards. [8]
Judicial officials have also been implicated in major corruption scandals. A judge and a member of Costa Rica's national police force were arrested in connection with being involved in the activities of a major drug trafficking and criminal organization in December 2020. A month earlier, a judge and judicial assistant were arrested for their alleged collaboration with drug traffickers. A 2020 report from Costa Rica's state of the nation program showed that only one in ten complaints regarding corruption made it to trial, raising concerns for impunity. [9]
Costa Rica faced serious challenge in fighting against corruption due to lack of a leading anti-corruption agency. Many legislative agendas were envisioned to fight against corruption, but those proposals have not been turned into laws.
There were no strong mechanisms for asset recovery. Besides, protection for whistleblowers is also limited. Costa Rica also lacks an access to information law. [10]
Corruption in the United States is the act of government officials abusing their political powers for private gain, typically through bribery or other methods, in the United States government. Corruption in the United States has been a perennial political issue, peaking in the Jacksonian era and the Gilded Age before declining with the reforms of the Progressive Era.
The Philippines suffers from widespread corruption, which developed during the Spanish colonial period. According to GAN Integrity's Philippines Corruption Report updated May 2020, the Philippines suffers from many incidents of corruption and crime in many aspects of civic life and in various sectors. Such corruption risks are rampant throughout the state's judicial system, police service, public services, land administration, and natural resources.
Corruption in Colombia is a pervasive problem at all levels of government, as well as in the military and police forces. A general culture and awareness of this corruption permeates society as a whole.
Crime in Bulgaria is combated by the Bulgarian police and other agencies. The UK Government ranks Bulgaria as a low crime area and crime there has significantly decreased in recent years.
Corruption is an issue in Ukrainian society going back to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. After declaring independence from the Soviet Union, Ukraine faced a series of politicians from different sides of the political spectrum, as well as criminal bosses and oligarchs, who used the corruption of police, political parties, and industry to gain power. Despite improvements, as in Moldova corruption remains an obstacle to joining the EU.
Corruption in Zimbabwe has become endemic within its political, private and civil sectors.
Corruption in Turkey is an issue affecting the accession of Turkey to the European Union. Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index scores 180 countries according to their perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 to 100. Since the current scale was introduced in 2012, Turkey's score has fallen from its highest score of 50 (2013) to its lowest, current score of 34 (2023). When the 180 countries in the Index were ranked by their score, Turkey ranked 115 in 2023. For comparison with worldwide scores, the average score was 43, the best score was 90, and the worst score was 11. For comparison with regional scores, the highest score among Eastern European and Central Asian countries was 53, the average score was 35 and the lowest score was 18.
Corruption in Romania has decreased in recent years. In particular since 2014, Romania undertook a significant anti-corruption effort that included the investigation and prosecution of medium- and high-level political, judicial and administrative officials by the National Anticorruption Directorate. The National Anticorruption Directorate was established in 2002 by the Romanian government to investigate and prosecute medium and high-level corruption related offenses, using a model of organization inspired by similar structures in Norway, Belgium and Spain. Adrian Zuckerman, the US Ambassador in Romania, has stated in 2021 that "the rule of law has been strengthened in Romania". Since 2022, the effectiveness of the investigation and sanctioning of high-level corruption further improved, including by advancing on cases that had been pending for years for procedural reasons.
Corruption in Sweden has been defined as "the abuse of power" by Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå). By receiving bribes, bribe takers abuse their position of power, which is consistent with how the National Anti-Corruption Unit of the Swedish Prosecution Authority specifies the term. Although bribes and improper rewards are central in the definition of corruption in Sweden, corruption in the sense of "abuse of power" can also manifest itself in other crimes such as misuse of office, embezzlement, fraud and breach of trust against a principal.
Corruption in Cyprus is a salient concern for people in Cyprus: As of 2022, 94% considered that corruption was widespread in the country.
Corruption in Denmark is amongst the lowest in the world.
Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index scored Germany at 78 on a scale from 0 to 100. When ranked by score, Germany ranked 9th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90, the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11. For comparison with regional scores, the highest score among Western European and European Union countries was 90, the average score was 65 and the lowest score was 42.
Corruption in Slovakia is a serious and ongoing problem.
Corruption in South Korea is moderate compared to most countries in the Asia-Pacific and the broader international community. Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index scored South Korea at 63 on a scale between 0 and 100. When ranked by score, South Korea ranked 32nd among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90, the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11. For comparison with regional scores, the highest score among the countries of the Asia Pacific region was 85, the average score was 45 and the lowest score was 17.
On Transparency International's 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, Peru scored 36 on a scale from 0 to 100. When ranked by score, Peru ranked 101st among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90, the average score was 43, and the worst score was 12. For comparison with regional scores, the highest score among the countries of the Americas was 74, the average score was 43 and the lowest score was 14.
Corruption is a serious and growing problem for doing business in Nicaragua.
As of the early 2020s, Croatia has severe problems with systemic and political corruption. Among European Union member states, it is generally ranked as one of the five most corrupt states.
Corruption in Bolivia is a major problem that has been called an accepted part of life in the country. It can be found at all levels of Bolivian society. Citizens of the country perceive the judiciary, police and public administration generally as the country's most corrupt. Corruption is also widespread among officials who are supposed to control the illegal drug trade and among those working in and with extractive industries.
Corruption in Ecuador is a serious problem. In 2014, the U.S. Department of State cited Ecuador's corruption as a key human-rights problem. According to Freedom House, "Ecuador has long been racked by corruption", and the weak judicial oversight and investigative resources perpetuate a culture of impunity.
Corruption is low in Uruguay by regional standards. It has generally outperformed other Latin American countries frequently in corruption related international indexes.
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