Stagnation and Asymmetries in Governance: An Analysis of the Corruption Perceptions Index in Central America (2024)
Stagnation and Asymmetries in Governance: An Analysis of the Corruption Perceptions Index in Central America (2024) PHd Jesse Josué De León De León ORCID 0009-0009-1746-8682 Public Administration Consultant / PhD in Human and Social Sciences from the Pontifical University of Salamanca, Spain Published in the Actualidad Centroamericana Magazine of ICAP Costa Rica Abstract Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is one of the most widely cited global indicators for assessing public-sector integrity. This article examines the 2024 CPI results for Central American countries, revealing a regional landscape characterized by structural stagnation and persistently critically low scores. Through a comparative analysis, it identifies key factors driving this trend, including the weakening of judicial independence, state capture by economic and political elites, and systemic impunity. Although Costa Rica retains a relative regional lead, it faces growing pressures, w...