Corruption in Peru in the last three decades
Corruption has been increasing in the last three decades, tailored to economic growth, product of free trade policies. Corruption crimes generates a distrust of citizenship in the central, regional, district or local government; since, the illicit enrichments of pubic officials have been evidenced, harming the population. Those who interfere in corruption intend to perpetuate their power to satisfy an exacerbated ambition, and a part of the population accept acts of corruption, as the case of Fujimori, as a logic that "the end justifies the media" (Peña 2003).
How is corruption evidenced in Peru? It is evidenced in illicit enrichments, in pacts with private companies, also in the administrative form of public works execution for political and/or personal purposes and not related to the development of Peru. Quiroz (2013) states:
Corruption is understood as the misuse of political power … by officials, colluded with petty private interests, in order to obtain economic or political advantages contrary to social development goals through embezzlement or diversion of public resources, togetherWith the distortion of policies and institutions. (p.30)
"Corruption generates a negative impact on the consolidation of democracy and governance, and the guarantees of citizens are neglected" (Ramón, 2014, Para.1), in addition, respect for human rights is evaded. What leads to the discontent of the population, who manifest it in strikes, strikes, campaign marches, and many of them end social disorders with mortal consequences and violations of rights.
The word corruption is a very aforementioned term today, which describes aspects of disgusting acts, because it is an individual voluntary act that contravenes the moral of a group or collective. Corrumpere is a Latin word that social researchers adopt to define a set of acts with a pejorative sense (Cantos and Balsalobre, 2017). Therefore the corrupt act is related to its own interests, which is acquired in the environment, like every social being. Hence the importance of education from home, and educational institutions (primary, secondary, superior and post degrees) which influence the formation of people’s ethics. "27% of the population believes that the most appropriate measure to combat different types of corruption is education in schools in schools and in families" (Gonzales, 2009).
In history, corruption lasted and had its changes, therefore, it does not have the same effects in each temporal or spatial context (Quiroz, 2013). In Peru, corruption goes back from the colonial regime, in the 16th century. In which there were irregular, undue and illegal profits committed by the representatives of the Spanish Crown when distributing the official positions of the Viceroyal Administration. And these committed abuse with the indigenous population that was mostly dedicated to mining, despite the existence of supervisors who were responsible for compliance with the protocols that regulated mining exploitation, who did not fulfill their work because they were bribed (Daly and Navas, 2015).
Peru is a country deeply affected by administrative, political and systemic corruption, both in its distant and today. However, its effects are recurring and cyclic, and little is known about the specific causes of corruption and its economic and institutional costs in the long term (Quiroz, 2013). Because corruption has affected institutions, the rights of the population is violated, since the funds that are designated for the care of health, education, security sectors, among others, are embezzled or overvalued;Consequently, there is poor infrastructure, unrealized works, or not executed projects. Therefore, corruption endangers the culture, ethics and integrity of the social environment. In a survey conducted by the Public Opinion Institute of the Pontiff Universidad Católica, there was a series of perceptions related to corruption in Peruvian society.
The findings indicate the existence of an unfavorable self-image of collective honesty: 59% think that the Peruvian is little honest … 90% recognize and accept corruption as a social problem … 80% consider that actions against corruption are little or nothing efficient… 45% think that the situation of corruption will be the same in the coming years. However, only 22% consider very important, in the fight against corruption, to the participation of citizens in general. (Gonzales, 2009, P.447).
At present, we constantly speak about the frontal fight against corruption, this issue generates a negative impact on the population. Ramón (2014) states that “corruption are harmful practices that deserve an adequate study of the problems it generates and the right mechanisms legally to control it” (P.1). Yamada (2011) refers that corruption has become generalized in public and private instances, which affects all Peruvians since they are our taxes that end in the hands of officials. This fact generates distrust in the population together that concludes that the honesty of officials in the different instances is utopian. To greater corruption, investment decreases and as a consequence the economy stagnates, affecting the stability of the institutions (Portocarrero 2005). According to the ranking of public entities with greater perception of corruption in Peru: in the first, the Judiciary is;second, regional governments;third, the Congress of the Republic;and fourth, the National Police. Corruption feeding sources, at present, in order of importance are: drug trafficking;illegal minery;non -transparent financing of electoral campaigns;national investment;foreign investment;and other illegal activities (Daly and Navas, 2015).
Multiple authors mention a set of factors that seem to contribute to creating favorable conditions for the appearance and proliferation of the phenomenon of corruption.
A culture where lack of integration is detected (Zalazar, 1966) … Creole liveliness, understood as the use of intelligence and creativity for the violation of norms. The general situation of anomia (Cloter, 1978), which leads people to think that anyone who occupies a position of power goes, probably to exploit it in their own interest … the existence of a deep gap between the government and society … theactions of transnational companies that seek government decisions that favor … the prevalence of inequalities in the distribution of wealth and considerable absolute poverty … a misinformation of what the official rules are … a greater assessment of exchange of favors, personal loyalty and profitsprivate … an indifference between the public role and private interest (Gonzales, 2009, p. 449-450).
The 90s Peru lived an era of corruption, which after unmasking had to face numerous prison positions and sentences. After many shocks and traumas of this decade, the country was seen in the face of the task of evaluating the costs of corruption suffered. Since the governments of Fujimori-Montesinos reached new degrees of uncontrolled corruption, a history of structural and systemic corruption. The ideological excuse of promoting the fight against terrorist insurgents and drug trafficking, a police and military secret apparatus formed to capture and manipulate the State, as well as perpetrate abuse of human rights. The control mechanism was based on national intelligence, headed by Montesinos, Chief of Espías and notorious presidential advisor. Secret funds were transferred to bribe the National Intelligence Service, which came from bribes in military acquisitions, drug trafficking quotas, among other corruption mechanisms, which were also useful to finance influences and bribery in virtually allThe fields of the State (Quiroz, 2013).
In the 2000s, after the acts of corruption raised, in Peru there are various mechanisms to face an anti -corruption public policy:
… In 2001, the National Anti -Corruption Initiative and the National Commission for the Fight against Corruption and Promotion of Ethics and Transparency in Public Management were created, which is modified in 2005. In 2004 the corruption action plan was presented. In 2006 the National Anti -Corruption Council works. In 2007, the National Anti -Corruption Office is established that is deactivated in 2008 to transfer its functions to the State Comptroller. (Peña, 2003, P.14).
Alejandro Toledo’s government was characterized by acts of corruption, according to the file of the First Court of Preparatory Investigation, were the following: influence peddling, in 2004, when he served as President of the Republic of Peru, he offered theOdebrecht representative the possibility of earning a tender in exchange for 35 million dollars. He is also accused of crime of collusion, for defrauding the Peruvian State by favoring the Odebrecht company in the South Interoceanic Road Corridor project, Peru-Brazil. He is also accused of money laundering, as is the case of Ecoteva.
In the Government of Alan García, social conflicts were increased exponentially compared to the previous years, according to the Ombudsman’s Office, at the beginning of the Government of Garcia, in July 2006, there were 77 social conflicts, and at the end of the end of the2008, this figure bordered the 200 and were mostly for socio -environmental reasons, that is, of tensions raised among the populations with the corresponding mining and petroleum investments that have grown in the country. The claims consisted of increased mining canon, denunciations of environmental pollution, claims for a more intense social protection policy with populations, among others. Despite being very geographically focused, the levels of violence had a national impact, such as the Moqueguazo. The protest action lasted for days and increasingly summoned more protesters, until it reached the point that it was possible to kidnap the police contingent for hours. Until they listen to their requirements. Garcia’s policy was a cycle of not paying attention to the claims of the people and resorting to a hardening of institutionalized repression, through a growing prominence of the armed forces, and of the repression of NGO actors who could facilitate the articulationand organization of the demands that show conflicts (Meléndez and León, 2008).
President Ollanta Humala’s government is speculated that it would be able to build a greater and more couple legitimacy through the different socio -economic sectors, especially the lowest sectors through their inclusion in social programs. But the turn he gave to the "right" subtracted credibility from his bases and launching social programs. In reality, several elements of governance remain split from the previous governments, such as the weakness of political institutions, their discrediting and their inability to respond to successive social conflicts, mainly with the socio -environmental theme, in many cases there wereIn areas far from the capital, those that were answered inappropriately by the government and ended, in some cases, in episodes of indiscriminate violence, such as "Aunt Maria" and "Las Bambas". In spite of this, it had important reforms such as the approval of the Law and Regulation of Prior Consultation and the creation of the National Office of Dialogue and Sustainability (Muñoz and Guibert, 2016)
For the development of an equitable country, regardless of corruption, it is indispensable for utilitarian, demagogic and electoral reasons, that the rulers, the political class and the leaders of all social levels are committed consistently and continuously, of working to overcome the miseryIn our country. This is the way in which Peru will be able to meet the economic, nutritious affective, educational, cultural and ethnic requirements indispensable for a creative and dignified development (Peña 2003).
In conclusion, corruption dynamics in the last three decades have occurred as a historical, voluntary consequence for personal or group purposes whose objective is to perpetuate their power to satisfy exacerbated ambitions. “An institutional reform is needed that involves modernizing the constitutional norms of the legislative, the judiciary, the Executive and the private systems.”(Quiroz, 2013, P.423).
It is necessary to consolidate an efficient, transparent and decentralized state to the service of the nation and of people, as subjects of rights and obligations. In administrative, the State management capacity should be improved through the modernization of public administration (Montoythe decentralization of power and economy. In addition to having preventive anti -corruption policies, which would be equivalent to profound changes in the national education system in such a way that the development of citizen’s consciousness and ethics is promoted, raising their quality as a citizen and making it a reliable and more functional person insideof Modern Society (Gonzales, 2009). It should be noted that the remedial corruption model must be applied, along with a preventive one, since the first emphasizes sanctions.
To reduce corruption, it is essential that national leaders consider as an important problem, it also requires the support of public protest so that reforms can begin, maintain and consolidate. "On the other hand, it should be taken into consideration that corruption cannot be fought at the lower levels without eradicating it of the upper levels" (Gonzales, 2009, p.453)
Bibliography
- Ramón, J. (2014). Corruption, ethics and public function in Peru. Quipukamayoc, (22), P.59 – 73.
- Yamada g. and Montero r. (June 2011). Corruption and inequality in public services in Peru. Lime. Cies recovered from http: // cies.org.PE/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/FILES/DIAGNOSTIC AND PROPOSE/ARCHIVES/DyP-50.PDF
- Portocarrero, f. (2005). The infamous pact: studies on corruption in Peru. Lima: Network for the development of social sciences in Peru. Recovered from https: // books.Google.com.PE/Books?hl = es & lr = & id = cnyvmme7wxyc & oi = fnd & pg = pa7 & dq = corruption+in+the+peru & et = 1uearpm_ab & sig = u1djngvp6kz8cqyruwvvkieozfw#v = onepage & q = corruption%20en%20en%20el%20
- Daly j. and Navas or. (July 2015). July 2015. Corruption in Peru: Vision of the Peruvian Executive. Lime. Centrum Católica’s Working Paper Series. Recovered from http: // vcentrum.PUCP.Edu.PE/RESEARCH/WPS/PDF/CERES_WP2015-07-0007.PDF
- Peña s. (2003). Corruption psychoanalysis. Lime. Peisa.
- Songs j. and Balsalobre d. (2017). Investigating the causes of public corruption. Mc songs. Recovered from https: // dialnet.united.is/download/article/6121518.PDF
- Quiroz a. (2013). History of corruption in Peru. Peru: IEP Institute of Peruvian Studies.
- Judicial Requirement Order of the investigated Alejandro Toledo Manrique (2018). File: 00016-2017-86-5001-JR-PE-01. Resolution No. 03 (Public Ministry: Prosecutor’s Office Corporate Corporate Crimes of Corruption of Officials), P.4. Retrieved from: https: // img.Legis.PE/WP-CONTENTE/UPLOADS/2018/02/LEA-El-Auto-Que-Solicita-La-Extradici%C3%B3n-Del-External-Alexandro-Toledo-Legis.pe_.PDF
- Meléndez c. and León c.. (2008). Peru 2008: The chess game of governance in simultaneous games. Lime. POLITICAL SCIENCE MAGAZINE / VOLUME 29 / Nº 2/2009/591 – 609 RECOVERED FROM HTTPS: // SCIELO.CONICYT.CL/PDF/REVCIPOL/V29N2/ART16.PDF
- Muñoz p. and Guibert and.. (2016). Peru: the end of optimism. Lime. POLITICAL SCIENCE MAGAZINE / VOLUME 36 / Nº 1/2016 / 313 – 338 RECOVERED FROM HTTPS: // SCIELO.CONICYT.CL/PDF/REVCIPOL/V36N1/ART14.PDF
- Montoya ,, j., Garcia, v., Zapata, e., Gonzales, a., Pattern p., Villacorta, R … Vivanco, J. (2009). State reform and modernization of public administration. Lima: San Martín de Porres University.
Leave feedback