Venezuela appears as one of the four most corrupt countries in the world in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by the organization Transparency International.
With a score of 14 on an indicator ranging from 0 to 100, the country has worsened by one point and one position in relation to the 2020 survey, and finished in 177th place among the 180 countries and territories evaluated. The performance of the Nicolás Maduro dictatorship was the worst in the Americas and worldwide only surpassed those of Somalia, Syria and South Sudan.
The CPI has been produced by Transparency International since 1995: the higher the score on the indicator, the greater the perception of the country’s integrity. In 2021, the index highlighted the relationship between corruption and human rights abuse.
“As this year’s report shows, countries perceived as highly corrupt are more likely to reduce their civic and democratic space and attack people’s rights,” Transparency International said.
The entity highlighted that Venezuela received one of the lowest scores in the world because “widespread corruption has led to serious violations of social rights, including access to education, health and food”.
“The judicial system has become an instrument of repression against dissidents and critics. In recent years, there has been an increase in political prisoners, arbitrary arrests and restrictions on fundamental freedoms,” argued Transparency International.
“The blocking of access to public information, the lack of accountability of state bodies and the absence of an independent justice system create an environment in which human rights violations go unnoticed and go unpunished,” he added.
With 20 points, Nicaragua and Haiti tied for 164th position worldwide and were the worst in the Americas after Venezuela, but at different times. While Haiti added two points more than in 2020 and climbed six positions, Nicaragua is down, since the year before last it had obtained 22 points and was in 159th place.
“Nicaragua has lost nine points in the last ten years, establishing itself as the third dictatorship in the region through an illegitimate electoral process, systematic human rights abuses and an absolute concentration of power in the hands of Daniel Ortega (the country’s dictator) and Rosario Murillo (Vice President and Ortega’s wife). Today, Nicaragua lacks the transparency and executive power controls needed to control corruption,” the report noted.
In 115th place, with 34 points, El Salvador was named the country in the Americas to watch this year. “By 2022, El Salvador could establish itself as a dictatorship if the authorities continue to undermine democracy, harass critics, and restrict civil and political rights,” explained Transparency International.
Stagnation in the Americas
Despite Venezuela, Haiti and Nicaragua showing the most worrying numbers, the organization warned that the Americas in general were stagnant in the fight against corruption in 2021. The average score for countries in the region was 43 points for the third consecutive year.
“Despite extensive legislation and a regional commitment to controlling this scourge, corruption in the Americas continues to undermine democracy and human rights,” concluded Transparency International, emphasizing that 22 countries in the region have not seen statistically significant changes in their levels of corruption. corruption. “In the last ten years, only Guyana (IPC score: 39) and Paraguay (30) have achieved notable improvements,” he lamented.
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