CCC Index 2022 Shows Relative Stability in Latin American Anti-Corruption Efforts

June 22, 2022—Americas Society/Council of the Americas (AS/COA) and Control Risks, the global specialist risk consulting firm, present the 2022 Capacity to Combat Corruption (CCC) Index, a data-driven analytical tool to assess Latin American countries' ability to uncover, punish, and deter corruption.

The fourth edition of the CCC Index shows that the fight against corruption presents a mixed picture in Latin America over the past year. Some countries showed resilience, while others, including the region’s two most populated countries Mexico and Brazil, saw new setbacks for key institutions and the anti-corruption environment as a whole.

"For many citizens throughout Latin America, corruption has taken a back seat to other issues, like inflation and the continued fight against Covid-19," said Brian Winter, vice president of policy at AS/COA. "In that context, some governments are reducing their commitment to anti-corruption efforts. But others are pressing ahead with efforts to strengthen independent institutions—which we know are the key to preventing corruption over time.”

First launched in 2019, the CCC Index, now in its fourth edition, covers 15 countries, which together represent 92 percent of Latin America’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 2022 CCC Index is Uruguay (7.42 out of 10). Uruguay is followed by Costa Rica (7.11), Chile (6.88), Peru (5.66), the Dominican Republic (5.19), Argentina (5.04), Panama (4.96), Colombia (4.87), Ecuador (4.82), Brazil (4.76), Paraguay (4.45), Mexico (4.05), Guatemala (3.38), Bolivia (2.57), and Venezuela (1.63).

"Overall, the willingness and capacity of governments across the region to combat corruption appears to have plateaued against the backdrop of other, more immediate concerns,” said Geert Aalbers, partner at Control Risks. “The onus to promote a more transparent, ethical, and sustainable business environment is increasingly shifting toward companies.”

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 2022 CCC Index.

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

AS/COA is hosting the launch event “Latin America's Anti-Corruption Efforts—A 2022 Overview” on June 23. Speakers will include Geert Aalbers, partner at Control Risks; Mário Braga, senior analyst at Control Risks; Alejandra Soto, associate director at Control Risks; Valeria Vasquez, analyst at Control Risks; and Brian Winter, vice president for policy at Americas Society/Council of the Americas and editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly.

Register to watch the event.

Press 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
pfuentealba@as-coa.org

Laure le Masson
Marketing Manager
Control Risks
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.