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Getting rich, paying the price: corruption in Brazil

14 November 2013 in Accountability, Americas, Civil society, Cost of Corruption, Impunity, Politics and government, Private sector

On 13 November, after eight years, the Brazilian Supreme Court ordered the arrest of senior politicians convicted in the one of Brazil’s biggest corruption scandals, known as the Mensalão. Although this will not end the process – the defendants will have a new trial in 2014 – it is a step forward in changing the […]

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How whistleblowing on surveillance can reform the system

14 November 2013 in Americas, Defence and Security, People power, Politics and government, Technology, Whistleblowing

The Edward Snowden case is not the first in which the exposure of surveillance activities by the United States government led to a public debate about questions of security and privacy. In 1970, former US Army intelligence officers Christopher Pyle and Ralph Stein disclosed how the army was investigating the political activities of American citizens […]

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Whistleblowers: regulators of last resort

6 November 2013 in Accountability, Americas, Europe and Central Asia, European Union, Financial Markets, People power, Politics and government, Whistleblowing

Over the past half-century, national governments have developed complex regulatory structures to oversee public health, banking, utilities, food safety, communications, transportation and other industries. By the 1980s, however, the United States and United Kingdom began pushing the policy pendulum in the other direction – deregulating industries sector by sector. Through international organisations, governments around the […]

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Se premia el periodismo de investigación de América Latina

18 October 2013 in Americas, Civil society, People power

Desde evasión fiscal hasta acuerdos entre gobiernos y criminales, fueron muchos los temas de los trabajos que ganaron este año el Premio Latinoamericano de Periodismo de Investigación. Premio que otorgan Transparency International y el Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS). A principios de esta semana, un teatro en Río de Janeiro sirvió de escenario para la […]

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Award-winning investigative journalism from Latin America

18 October 2013 in Americas, Civil society, People power

From tax evasion to deals between gangsters and governments, a wide range of corruption and topics of public interest were covered in the winning pieces of this year’s Latin American Investigative Journalism Awards, organised by Transparency International and Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (Press and Society Institute, IPYS). Earlier this week, a Rio de Janeiro theatre […]

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Venezuela: corruption is ruining the country

13 September 2013 in Americas, Civil society, People power, Politics and government

Recently Nicolás Maduro, President of Venezuela, announced he would request decree powers to “vaccinate Venezuela’s democracy and public sector” against corruption. The government’s initiative to address this issue is crucial, but increasing the executive’s power will not eradicate corruption. If the presidency aims to succeed in the fight against corruption, it should foster transparency at […]

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US$1 million for reforestation missing in Peru

22 August 2013 in Access to information, Americas, Asset recovery, Cost of Corruption, Forestry, Politics and government

Tracking public money in Peru can feel like chasing smoke and mirrors. The state often keeps a lid on official documents, meaning trails can lead to dead-ends. In this case the information was not missing, but some of it turned out to be false. Until recently, the city of Pajarillo was known for illegal trade […]

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Improving education in Honduras: empowering parents

20 August 2013 in Americas, Civil society, Education, Human rights, Poverty and development, Young people

Lea este post en español. Meet 10-year old Betsai (pictured in the orange collared shirt). He is a small boy, with a big personality, who goes to the public school in the town of Quebrada Larga in Honduras. This blog post is part of a series drawing on articles from the forthcoming Global Corruption Report: […]

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Mejorando la educación en Honduras: empoderando a los padres

20 August 2013 in Americas, Civil society, Education, Human rights, Poverty and development, Young people

Read this blog post in English. Les presentamos a Betsai, de diez años y con la camiseta de cuello naranja en la fotografía. Es un niño pequeño con una gran personalidad, que asiste a la escuela pública del pueblo de Quebrada Larga en Honduras. Este post es parte de una serie que recoge artículos del […]

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Marching against corruption in Brazil: the final days

13 August 2013 in Americas, Anti-corruption movement, Civil society, Cost of Corruption, Human rights, People power, Politics and government, Poverty and development, Water

  This post is authored by Lirian Pádua, a Journalism graduate who works as a reporter, editor, and photographer and is volunteering for the NGO Batra (Bauru Transparente), a member of Amarribo Brasil’s network.   The 12th March against corruption that wound its way through the arid countryside of Piauí came to end a couple of weeks ago. […]

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