MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mercosur, except for Uruguay quite a “corrupt” neighbourhood, according to TI

Uruguay’s Government House next to Plaza Independencia

Mercosur and Unasur democracies did not rank very encouragingly in the latest Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 with all countries, except Chile and Uruguay, ranking below the score of 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean).

The TI index covers 176 countries world wide with Denmark, Finland and New Zealand in position number one as the least corrupt, followed by Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, Australia, Norway, Canada, Netherlands and Iceland sharing the best ten ranked.

In this same ranking the UK figures in position 17, the US, 19 and China, Mercosur main trade partner in position 80. Spain ranks 30 with a score of 65.

Mercosur members, leaving aside Uruguay with the group’s lowest corruption index, figure as follows: Brazil in position 69 with a score of 43; Argentina, 102 and a score of 35; Paraguay, position 150 and score of 25 and the latest incorporation Venezuela ranks among the worst in position 165 with a score of 19.

Other Unasur countries did not fare well either (with the exception of Chile): Bolivia, position 105 with a score of 34; Peru position 83 and score of 38; Ecuador, 118 and 32; Colombia, 94 and 36.

In the region Mexico the second largest economy figures in position 105 with a score of 34 and even the ‘model’ of transparency and social commitment, Cuba, is ranked in position 58, and below the 50 score, with 48.