Safeguarding Political Integrity in a Context of Democratic Backsliding: Evidence from the Peruvian Case
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Our study highlights Peru’s democratic setback post-Odebrecht despite anti-corruption efforts. We aim to understand why trust didn’t recover and explore ways to strengthen political integrity. Through varied methods, we analyze Peru’s politics, focusing on the link between public sentiment, reforms, and anti-corruption actions.
This collaborative paper, authored by Denisse Rodriguez-Olivari and myself, explores the extensive repercussions of the Odebrecht scandal, widely recognized as Lava Jato, within the realm of Latin American politics, with a specific emphasis on its effects within Peru. Despite extensive legal actions against high-profile figures involved in bribery and illegal financing, the scandal failed to restore public trust in Peru’s judiciary and electoral bodies. Instead, it led to a setback in the country’s democratic progress.
Our study aims to explore why the prosecution of the Odebrecht case did not improve public confidence in Peru’s democratic system and seeks to find ways to maintain political integrity amid such challenges. We’ve used a mix of engaging methods—utilizing data from various indices such as the Democracy Index, Corruption Perception Index, and Capacity to Combat Corruption Index, alongside qualitative techniques like process tracing—to paint a detailed picture of Peru’s political landscape post-Odebrecht.
Through this research, we aim to unravel the intricate relationship between public opinion, the implementation of reforms, and anti-corruption measures. Our goal is to shed light on the nuanced outcomes that have emerged from the efforts to tackle corruption and its impact on Peru’s democratic fabric. This study was presented at a conference to encourage discussions on these vital issues and foster a better understanding of the challenges facing democratic systems in the wake of corruption scandals.
Download the presentation here
