home
about us
news room
global priorities
regional pages
policy and research
tools
publications
download newsletter in pdf-format
By Amber Poroznuk
Petty corruption cost Mexicans US $1.8 billion in 2005
By Amber Poroznuk
|
|
A newly released corruption index by TI’s national chapter in Mexico shows that petty corruption has increased in the last two years, costing low income households 24 percent of their earnings in 2005, an increase of 10 percent since 2003. The National Survey on Corruption and Good Governance (INCBG) measures bribes paid by Mexican households to obtain public services at municipal, state and national level, and by private businesses. |
Examples include paying bribes to apply for various permits, having mail delivered or avoiding parking and driving tickets.The index found that Mexicans paid US $1.8 billion in bribes last year, through nearly115 million payments averaging 175 pesos (US $16) each. Parents of young children and wealthy or highly educated citizens were more likely to pay bribes. This was interpreted by Federico Reyes Heroles, President of Transparencia Mexicana’s Board of Directors, as a way of “buying time”.For many, paying a bribe is simply more efficient.
2005 was the third year the national survey was conducted. Reyes Heroles emphasised that the survey “is an instrument that is sensitive to public policy initiatives from governments. The INCBG registers whether an anti-corruption strategy has been consistent over time or if a government or government agency has lowered the guard, to put it bluntly”.
This project was funded by Fundación Televisa, Cemex, Consejo Coordinador Empresarial, Corporación Interamericana de Entretenimiento (CIE) and Televisión Azteca. For more information, see (in Spanish):