Impunity in the prosecution of crimes associated with public corruption has greatly damaged the credibility of the different institutions that make up the Judiciary. Even worse, impunity is a determining factor in the worsening public perception about levels of corruption in the country. According to Transparency International, Colombia received 39 points in the most recent measurement of the Corruption Perceptions Index. When compared with the results of previous years, it is evidenced that the country has not witnessed a significant change in the perception of corruption for the last ten years, despite the efforts made by the Colombian State and civil society.
The following report compiles and analyzes the current main anti-corruption public policy guidelines and tools from (i) national planning, (ii) institutional strategic planning, and (iii) sectorial planning. Based on these components, the report then establishes recommendations in light of the experience and findings of the Justice and Impunity Observatory during 2021.
Some of the most important recommendations are:
The National Development Plan of the incoming government must establish a mandate to formulate a National Policy to Fight Corruption, where the main objective is strictly focused on the prevention, investigation and punishment of corruption. This Policy should serve as a roadmap for inter-institutional action from the National Moralization Commission and other incidences that address the fight against corruption.
It is recommended to strengthen the advocacy capacity of the National Citizen Commission for the Fight against Corruption, and that it be established as an actor based on the Political Constitution of Colombia.
It is recommended that the Heads of the High Courts and other entities of the Judicial Branch support the establishment of an Open Justice model, in order to increase the transparency, trust and effectiveness of Colombia’s justice administration system.
It is recommended that the National Electoral Council, using independent auditors, carry out audit processes to verify the origin of the resources that enter political campaigns, in order to verify that money from illegal sources does not enter, nor financing from the assets of the candidate, but registered through a legal representative.
It is recommended that the National Electoral Council establish a technological tool that allows for real-time financial control of political campaigns through the Cuentas Claras (Clear Accounting) platform, so as to identify accounting inconsistencies in the financial records filed by political campaigns.
The full list of recommendations can be found in the following document:
Recomendaciones-de-Politica-Publica-V4