Topic: Political Corruption in Latin America
Country: Netherlands
Delegate Name: Caleb Bartes
School: Roeper School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Netherlands position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
The widespread consensus throughout the U.N is that political corruption is at an all-time high within Latin America. Scandal after scandal has tarnished Latin America’s track record as a perceived safe state, quarantined from the blight that is bribery and misuse of government resources. According to Transparency International, Honduras, Venezuela, Paraguay, and Nicaragua are some of the most corrupt countries on the planet, and that statistic becomes more and more alarming as political corruption in these countries continues to heighten. Bribery along with growing state interventionism has given Latin American politicians broad discretion over a vast wealth of resources, most of which are misused and mishandled. As seemingly endless scandals pour out of Brazil, more than eight foreign Mexican governors face charges for political corruption. Additionally, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski faces impeachment, as his own administrations corrupt catches the public’s eye. As incentives for political corruption grow and democracy seemingly dies from within these nepotistic nations, these politicians and bureaucrats only grow with power. In a survey conducted by Transparency International, over 62% of people said that political corruption has only grown from within their countries, and 43% said that their president and/or prime minister is corrupt. A solution must be enacted via this Special Political Committee in order to combat these heinous defiance’s of democracy and attenuate the hold these corrupt officials have from within their Latin American countries.
The Netherlands is considered one of the least corrupt countries from within the European Union and ranks eighth as one of the least corrupt countries worldwide in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. Not only is petty corruption almost non-existent within the Netherlands, but public administrations transparent nature has set the bar for high ethical standards within the country. Recent adaptations to the Dutch Penal Code have made it illegal for anyone to give or receive bribes from within the private and public sector. This, coupled with the cultural movements against corruption, have left the country relatively corruption free. Existent corruption is being sought out and dealt with as soon as it is discovered. While other countries put their efforts to fight political corruption in the hands of public initiatives, which may or may not be corrupt themselves, The Netherlands takes all measures to prevent corruption at the source and punishes all forms of political corruption to the full extent of the law. From legislation to tax administration, The Netherlands has it covered with top priority anti-corruption measures ranging from removing all corporate liability defenses (to prevent the mitigation of sentences imprisonment) to guaranteed protection for whistleblowers, as well as advice and assistance for those who may want to report abuse and misconduct in terms of political corruption. With the addition to these anti-corruption measurements, The Netherlands media environment is completely independent, and a wide range of political views can be and are expressed. The only censoring that occurs by the government in terms of online news media is that of illegal content, and the Government Information Act allows individuals and the press to demand information from public administrations. The Netherlands is committed to helping Latin American nations combat political corruption, by helping to instill policies seen within The Netherlands to fight against these corrupt institutions, without impeding sovereignty.
It is the righteous task of the Special Political Committee to enhance the quality of international governments by instituting anti-corruption establishments and furthering a healthy governmental agenda globally. The means and motives are clear and relevant, now it is the duty of those within the Special Political Committee to focus on the political corruption plaguing all nations affected from within Latin America, as they are affected most. We must put those countries under a microscope, as only then can we truly investigate and combat corruption first hand. It is through these investigations can we truly hold those responsible for corruption accountable for their actions. We must ignite cultural shifts from within these corrupt countries that will lead to more independent media and speculation towards corrupt governments and institutions. While these measures may not bear immediate effects towards the purging of corrupt officials, they will start a movement that will not cease until it is completed. The Netherlands calls upon the Special Political Committee to form an investigative council to seek out wrongdoers within corrupt governments and finally hold these corrupt politicians culpable for their actions.
