CCC Index 2021 Reveals the Effects of COVID-19 on the Fight Against Corruption in Latin America

June 14, 2021. New York, NY– Americas Society/Council of the Americas (AS/COA) and Control Risks, the global specialist risk consulting firm, present the 2021 Capacity to Combat Corruption (CCC) Index, a data-driven analytical tool to assess Latin American countries' ability to uncover, punish, and deter corruption.

"The Index shows that efforts to combat corruption are more needed in 2021 than ever before," said Brian Winter, vice president of policy at AS/COA. "Latin America has been among the regions hardest hit by the pandemic. With governments under increasing financial strain, and healthcare systems in many countries severely impaired, the pernicious effects of graft on society are amplified," he said.

First launched in 2019, the third edition of the CCC Index covers 15 Latin American countries, which together represent almost 95% of the region’s GDP. Rather than measuring perceived levels of corruption, the CCC Index evaluates and ranks countries based on how effectively they can combat corruption. Countries with a higher score are deemed more likely to see corrupt actors prosecuted and punished.

The country with the highest score in the 2021 CCC Index is Uruguay (7.80 out of 10). Uruguay was followed by Chile (6.51), Costa Rica (6.45), Peru (5.66), Argentina (5.16), Brazil (5.07), Colombia (4.81), Ecuador (4.77), Panama (4.55), the Dominican Republic (4.38), Mexico (4.25), Paraguay (4.08), Guatemala (3.84), Bolivia (2.43), and Venezuela (1.40).

"The 2021 CCC Index reveals uneven and increasingly politicized anti-corruption efforts across many countries in Latin America. This underscores the need for companies to refresh their risk assessments and recalibrate and reinforce their compliance programs," said Geert Aalbers, partner at Control Risks.

The CCC Index looks at 14 key variables, including the independence of judicial institutions, the strength of investigative journalism, and the level of resources available for combating white-collar crime. The index relies on extensive data and a proprietary survey conducted among leading anti-corruption experts from Control Risks, academia, civil society, media, and the private sector.

For the full results and methodology, download the <2021 CCC Index>.

Follow the conversation on Twitter: @ASCOA, @Control_Risks, and @AmerQuarterly | #CCCIndex

AS/COA is holding the event "The 2021 Capacity to Combat Corruption Index Launch" on June 15. Register to watch the presentation and participate in a press Q&A.

Contact: mediarelations@as-coa.org.

To schedule an interview or receive further information, please contact:

Pía Fuentealba
Senior Manager, Media Relations
Americas Society/Council of the Americas
WhatsApp: +1 929-271-9491
pfuentealba@as-coa.org

Laure le Masson
Marketing Manager
Control Risks
+1 202-449-3356
laure.lemasson@controlrisks.com

Americas Society/Council of the Americas is the premier forum dedicated to education, debate, and dialogue in the Americas. Its mission is to foster an understanding of the contemporary political, social, and economic issues confronting Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada.

Control Risks is a global specialist risk consulting firm that helps clients create organizations that are secure, compliant, and resilient in an age of ever-changing risk and connectivity. Our experts across 34 offices help clients investigate wrongdoing and resolve crises and provide the insight and intelligence companies need to realize opportunities and grow. Learn more at controlrisks.com.