Corruption in Nicaragua
Corruption is a serious and growing problem for doing business in Nicaragua.[1]
Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index gave Nicaragua a score of 17 on a scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean"). When ranked by score, Nicaragua ranked 172nd among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector.[2] For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90 (ranked 1), the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11 (ranked 180).[1] For comparison with regional scores, the highest score among the countries of the Americas[Note 1] was 76 and the lowest score was 13.[3]
According to Freedom House, since the election of Daniel Ortega in 2006, corruption had increased in Nicaragua.[4] Nicaragua is ranked 133 of 140 countries in the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index (2022).[5]
Analysis
According to
Ortega then built an uneasy alliance with the business community, specifically Nicaragua's business organization COSEP, which resulted in less antagonism between his government and private business.[6][7] This move by Ortega was similar to tactics used by the Somoza family dictatorship which ruled Nicaragua for the decades prior to Ortega's ascent.[7]
According to Freedom House, Nicaragua was among its Largest 10-Year Score Declines list in its Freedom in the World 2017 report,[4][8] with the human rights organization stating:[9]
The election of Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega in 2006 began a period of democratic deterioration in Nicaragua that continues today. President Ortega has consolidated all branches of government under his party’s control, limited fundamental freedoms, and allowed unchecked corruption to pervade the government. In 2014, the National Assembly approved constitutional amendments that paved the way for Ortega to win a third consecutive term in November 2016.
Bribery
Some businesses have suggested that facilitation payments are demanded from the authorities when conducting commercial activities in Nicaragua and the government often shows favoritism towards certain well-connected companies.[10]
Cronyism
The New York Times reports that when rising to power, Ortega often used union groups to protest and for other political motives. After taking power, he granted union leaders good positions within the Nicaraguan government.[11]
According to Foreign policy prior to his re-election in the
By the time of the
Anti-corruption efforts
Generally,
See also
Notes
- ^ Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela
References
- ^ a b "Corruption Perceptions Index 2023: Nicaragua". Transparency.org. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "The ABCs of the CPI: How the Corruption Perceptions Index is calculated". Transparency.org. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
- ^ "CPI 2023 for the Americas: Lack of Independent Judiciary Hinders the Fight Against Corruption". Transparency.org. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ a b c "Freedom in the World 2017 - Nicaragua". Freedomhouse.org. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- ^ "WJP Rule of Law Index".
- ^ a b c Shifter, Michael (5 September 2016). "Nicaragua Is Turning Into a Real-Life 'House of Cards'". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2018-04-27.
- ^ The Miami Herald. Retrieved 2018-05-03.
- ^ "Freedom in the World 2017". Freedomhouse.org. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- ^ "Nicaragua | Country report | Freedom in the World | 2017". Freedom House. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- Business Anti-Corruption Portal. Archived from the originalon 24 March 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
- ^ "Convention against Corruption". Unodc.org. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ "Nicaragua Corruption Profile". Business Anti-Corruption Portal. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
External links
- Nicaragua Corruption Profile from the Business-Anti-Corruption Portal