The Criminalization of Corruption in Latin America: Causes and Consequences of Lava Jato

November 18, 2020 12:00PM

WHO: Ezequiel Gonzalez-Ocantos is an Associate Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford and Professorial Fellow of Nuffield College. He studies the relationship between courts and politics, with a regional focus on Latin America. He is the author of two books: Shifting Legal Visions: Judicial Change and Human Rights Trials in Latin America (Cambridge University Press, 2016) which won the Herman Pritchett Best Book Award from APSA's Law and Courts Section, the best book award from ISA's Human Rights Section and the Donna Lee Van Cott Best Book Award from LASA's Political Institutions Section; and The Politics of Transitional Justice in Latin America: Power, Norms and Capability Building (Cambridge University Press, 2020). Ezequiel’s peer-reviewed articles have appeared in the American Journal of Political Science, Comparative Politics, Comparative Political Studies, European Journal of Political Research, International Studies Quarterly, Law & Society Review, Journal of Peace Research, Sociological Methods & Research, and The International Journal of Constitutional Law, among others. In 2018 he received the Philip Leverhulme Prize in Politics and International Relations. Ezequiel is currently co-authoring a book that examines the causes and consequences of anti-corruption judicial crusades in Latin America comparing different national chapters of the Lava Jato investigation.
 
WHAT: The Criminalization of Corruption in Latin America: Causes and Consequences of Lava Jato

Operation Lava Jato started in Brazil as a money-laundering case. It quickly turned into a full-blown judicial anti-corruption crusade with far-reaching political implications across Latin America. The same companies at the heart of the Brazilian scandal offered kickbacks to public officials in at least 8 other countries. Critics see the prosecutorial zeal behind some of the national chapters of Lava Jato as yet another instance of “lawfare.” For others, however, it anticipates a new era of accountability and political regeneration. In this talk we discuss our current book project, which asks two sets of questions. First, what explains why the investigation gained momentum and delivered results in some countries but not others? Our answer looks at the legacy of capacity-enhancing reforms in Latin America’s prosecution services as well more immediate determinants of prosecutorial zeal. Second, we rely on focus groups and original surveys to understand the impact of Lava Jato on public opinion. What kind of emotions and attitudes towards corruption and politics do voters experience when exposed to these shocks? Does Lava Jato reinforce or curb political cynicism? Are all Lava Jato’s created equal, or does the way in which different investigations unfold shape emotional and attitudinal responses?

 

Latin American Working Group