Five Ways Corruption Has Hurt Democracy in Latin America

A couple years ago, a major corruption scandal came to light in Brazil. An investigation called “Operation Car Wash” (Operação Lava Jato) uncovered evidence that the Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht had set up an elaborate system to pay bribes, overcharge on public works contracts, orchestrate kickbacks, and rig bidding systems. Allegedly, the company generated $3.3 billion illegally from 100 projects in 12 countries. Most impacted were government coffers, but the scandal spilled over on average citizens, political stability, security, and well-being in Brazil and neighboring countries. Read more