Government Corruption Of Latin America - 1371 Words

According to James Painter in his BBC News article â€Å"Latin America faces year of change†, Latin America suffers from social violence, kidnapping, drug trafficking, child pornography, lack of women’s rights, and little accountability over the region’s law makers and authorities which can lead to government corruption (para. 12). Government corruption can be defined as political power used by government leaders for private gain and to maintain their power as a government official. Most of the times these corrupt politicians in Latin America say they are accomplishing apprehension of criminals to the best of their abilities when, in reality, they commit the same multitude of crimes. Politicians are able to maintain their power as a result of†¦show more content†¦150). Democracy is supposed to be about equal opportunity but when bribery is brought into the balance it disrupts the scale to tip the scales into the favor of the politicians which goes agains t the principle of democracy (â€Å"Rise of Democracy†, para. 1). In the majority of Latin American countries there is a system called â€Å"compulsory voting† which makes it illegal not to vote. Although it is illegal not to vote, in Brazil’s case, only 78.90% of eligible voters voted for the presidential campaign in 2014 (â€Å"Voter Turnout†, para. 3). While there is a huge amount of corruption in Latin America, it can be overcome. In September of 2015, a crowd of Guatemalans chanted at President Otto Perez Molina, â€Å"Resign, now.† Their voice was heard as the ex-Guatemalan president stood down from office and is now in prison awaiting trial over an alleged corruption scandal (Watson, p.1, para. 1-3). This is just a glimpse of the power the people can hold. If the voters can get a current president out of office than imagine what can happen if everyone were to vote for who they truly believe is worthy of representing and governing the countr y. One of the largest issues that democracy in Latin America faces is bribery. This however is not entirely the fault of the corrupt politician trying to stay in power. Voters are also to blame for accepting these bribes. By accepting theShow MoreRelatedThe Features Of Corruption Of Latin America876 Words   |  4 Pages Corruption exists to some extent in all countries. But in Latin America, corruption seems an inextricable part of life. Some schools of thought, particularly those in the political science circle, view corruption as functional to the maintenance of a political system. Meaning, corruption may not be ideal, but it represents a way for people to access resources that would otherwise be unavailable to them. In sharp contrast, economists point to the many downfalls of corruption: a climate of fear andRead MoreEssay on Is Democracy Sustainable in Latin America?1274 Words   |  6 PagesIs Democracy Sustainable in Latin America? In order to determine if democracy is sustainable in Latin America, it is important to understand or at least have an idea of what democracy is. There are several types of democracy and each is different. According to the English dictionary, democracy is â€Å" a government by the people; especially: rule of the majority by a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by themRead More1. Who are the country’s main competitors and how is it positioned relative to these main1100 Words   |  5 Pagescompetitors? FDI inflows, by region and economy, 2012 (Latin American and the Caribbean) Country FDI in 2012 (Millions of dollars) 1. Brazil 65 271.85165 2. British Virgin Islands 64 895.73812 3. Chile 30 323.047 4. Colombia 15 822.93615 5. Argentina 12 551.11934 6. Peru 12 239.67185 7. Cayman Islands 4234.45103 8. Dominican Republic 3609.6 9. Venezuela 3216 Dominican Republic holds the 8th position in FDI inflows in the Latin America Caribbean sector, just above Venezuela, according to 2012Read MoreThe State Of Democracy Around The World1721 Words   |  7 Pagespeople’ (Hague and Harrop, 2013, p. 43). One could argue however, that democracy is considerably more than just a form of governance. For any nation to be considered democratic it must hold free and fair multi-party elections, must be free of any corruption and promote accountability and transparency. 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