Corruption Perceptions Index 2009
Regional Highlights
© 2009 Transparency International. All rights Reserved. Page 1 of 2
Corruption Perceptions Index 2009
Regional Highlights: Americas
Countries/Territories included: 31
Among the 31 countries from the Americas included in Transparency International’s (TI) 2009
Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), 10 scored above 5 (out of 10) while 21 scored less than 5
indicating a serious corruption problem. Overall, nine countries failed to exceed a score of 3,
indicating rampant corruption. With the exception of Guatemala, no country in the region showed a
significant increase in its CPI score.
In the group of countries which score above 5, Canada remains at the top of the list. It continues to
be among the ten countries with the lowest perceived levels of corruption worldwide, serving as a
benchmark and inspiration for the Americas. Chile, Uruguay and Costa Rica are the only Latin
American countries included in this group, although with lower scores than their Caribbean
neighbours in Barbados and Saint Lucia.
The United States (US) score remains stable at 7.5 despite widespread concerns over a lack of
government oversight in relation to the financial sector. A swift government response to the financial
crisis and moves towards regulatory reforms that include transparency and accountability measures,
may play a role in the country’s score. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen whether proposed reforms
are far-reaching enough and to what extent they will be implemented. Another reason for concern is
that in the US the legislature is perceived to be the institution most affected by corruption, according
to TI’s Global Corruption Barometer, a public opinion survey published in 2009.
Among the nine countries that failed to exceed a score of 5 are Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Mexico,
all leading economies in the region which should become anti-corruption strongholds but have been
rocked by scandals involving impunity, kickbacks, political corruption and state capture.
Once again Haiti, the poorest country in the region, ranks at the bottom though its score improved
modestly from 1.4 in 2008 to 1.8 this year. Additional low scorers include Bolivia, Nicaragua,
Honduras, and Paraguay, all countries facing high levels of poverty and a great need for solid,
transparent institutions that could facilitate much-needed economic growth. Argentina and
Venezuela are also among the low performers in the index, an indication that high perceptions of
corruption are not exclusively linked to poverty.
Throughout Latin America, which makes up the bulk of low-scoring countries in the region, weak
institutions, poor governance practices and the excessive influence of private interests continue to
undermine best efforts to promote equitable and sustainable development. Additionally, Latin
American journalists face an increasingly restrictive environment with several countries passing or
proposing legislation aimed at silencing critical coverage, which hampers overall press freedom and
the crucial ability to report on corruption and its impact. Both civil society and the media play a key
role in preventing and fighting corruption. Weakening them, particularly at a time when democratic
institutions are also being challenged in several countries, limits the possibility of achieving lasting
prosperity and reducing inequality.
Although each country has its own particular context, across the board the effects of the financial
crisis and the subsequent economic downturn have highlighted the crucial importance of governance
in the private and public sectors and in relationships between the two, particularly in respect to
stimulus packages which are already pumping large amounts of money into badly affected
economies. States across the region – rich and poor – will have to respond by ensuring that these
public funds are handled with integrity.
Corruption Perceptions Index 2009
Regional Highlights
© 2009 Transparency International. All rights Reserved. Page 2 of 2
Lower bound Upper bound
8 1 Canada 8.7 8.5 9.0 6
19 2 United States 7.5 6.9 8.0 8
20 3 Barbados 7.4 6.6 8.2 4
22 4 Saint Lucia 7.0 6.7 7.5 3
25 5 Chile 6.7 6.5 6.9 7
25 5 Uruguay 6.7 6.4 7.1 5
31 7 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.4 4.9 7.5 3
34 8 Dominica 5.9 4.9 6.7 3
35 9 Puerto Rico 5.8 5.2 6.3 4
43 10 Costa Rica 5.3 4.7 5.9 5
61 11 Cuba 4.4 3.5 5.1 3
75 12 Brazil 3.7 3.3 4.3 7
75 12 Colombia 3.7 3.1 4.3 7
75 12 Peru 3.7 3.4 4.1 7
75 12 Suriname 3.7 3.0 4.7 3
79 16 Trinidad and Tobago 3.6 3.0 4.3 4
84 17 El Salvador 3.4 3.0 3.8 5
84 17 Guatemala 3.4 3.0 3.9 5
84 17 Panama 3.4 3.1 3.7 5
89 20 Mexico 3.3 3.2 3.5 7
99 21 Dominican Republic 3.0 2.9 3.2 5
99 21 Jamaica 3.0 2.8 3.3 5
106 23 Argentina 2.9 2.6 3.1 7
120 24 Bolivia 2.7 2.4 3.1 6
126 25 Guyana 2.6 2.5 2.7 4
130 26 Honduras 2.5 2.2 2.8 6
130 26 Nicaragua 2.5 2.3 2.7 6
146 28 Ecuador 2.2 2.0 2.5 5
154 29 Paraguay 2.1 1.7 2.5 5
162 30 Venezuela 1.9 1.8 2.0 7
168 31 Haiti 1.8 1.4 2.3 3