Paraguay Most Corrupt Country In S America

by Alejandro Sciscioli

The Corruption Perceptions Index drawn up annually by the Berlin-based international anti-corruption watchdog says nine out of 10 developing countries are in urgent need of practical support for combating graft.

Among the main causes of corruption in Paraguay as measured by this year's report were "the huge shady deals, some of which could even be considered outright theft," by the previous government, which also fuelled a rise in poverty, analyst Felix Lugo told IPS.

Ranking at the bottom of the list are Bangladesh -- seen as the world's most corrupt country -- followed by Nigeria, Haiti, Paraguay, Myanmar, Cameroon, Angola, Tajikistan, Kenya, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Indonesia, all of which scored less than two, out of a total possible score of 10.

In the report released Tuesday, Transparency International granted lower scores than last year to Argentina, Belarus, Chile, Canada, Israel, Luxembourg, Poland, the United States and Zimbabwe.

At the other extreme are the countries that scored above nine, indicating low levels of corruption: Finland, Iceland, Denmark, New Zealand, Singapore and Sweden.

The president of the Paraguayan chapter of Transparency International, Pilar Callizo, lamented that Paraguay's score dropped "from 1.7 in 2001 to 1.6 this year."

Callizo said it was unfortunately necessary to admit that the efforts of organized civil society had been insufficient to combat "the lack of political will on the part of" the administration of Luis Gonzalez Macchi (1999-2003), who turned over the reins on Aug. 15 to President Nicanor Duarte. Both belong to the Colorado Party, which has been in power since 1948.

The Transparency International report was based on 17 surveys by 13 independent institutions, carried out among business people, academics, risk analysts, local residents and expatriates in the 133 countries that were ranked this year, compared to last year's 102 countries.

The larger number of countries covered by this year's report is due to the fact that a greater number of valid and reliable sources were found, according to a communique issued by Transparency International, which explained that at least three surveys are necessary for a country to be included on the list.

The surveys used to draw up this year's report were conducted between 2001 and 2003, when Gonzalez Macchi was in power in Paraguay.

Callizo said Transparency International sees as "encouraging" the new government's stated aim to clamp down on corruption, and the steps it has already taken to do so.

However, several controversial appointments to key public posts have cast doubt on the depth of the government's commitment to fight corruption, she said, without naming any names.

"I believe the current government has a double-voiced discourse regarding corruption, and the citizenry must demand answers. As long as the public remains passive, there is unfortunately nothing we can do," she added.

Callizo said oversight bodies like the public prosecutor's office and the office of the comptroller-general were fundamental to the task of tackling corruption.

"But since these bodies do not work properly either, it is the citizenry who must remain vigilant, demand clarification of cases that are uncovered, and insist that the guilty parties be held accountable," she said.

The vice-president of the Paraguayan chapter of Transparency International, Arsenio Vasconcellos, also underlined the importance of society's commitment to combating graft.

"It is important for citizens to try to diminish the impact of this scourge and participate in the 'islands of integrity,' to prevent the persistence of corruption in the public sector," he said.

Vasconcellos said transparency is not only the responsibility of the public sector, but also an obligation for society as a whole.

Political and economic analyst Lugo pointed to several factors leading to the increased public perception of corruption in Paraguay, "all of which come together in the role played by the government of Gonzalez Macchi."

He said the "shady deals" that characterized the Gonzalez Macchi administration were the main factor in society's increased perception of corruption. "Linked to that, of course, is the increase in poverty fuelled by those actions," he added.

Lugo also noted that Paraguayan society's mistrust of the government has deepened due to the "shameless ostentation of impunity observed in more than one case." He added that "the justice system is another decisive factor.

"In many cases, it is people in the justice system who are chiefly responsible for the public's perception of a high level of corruption," he said.

One aspect that should also be addressed, according to the analyst, is that the Paraguayan state "is structured in a corrupt manner, with contradictory laws, a lack of real controls and oversight, and the overlapping of authority and functions.

"Corruption here is systemic, and only real, values-based education and the reduction of poverty would be able to change the conception that citizens hold of their own state," he said.