From the Banestado Case to Operation Car Wash: Building an Anti-Corruption Institutional Framework in Brazil *

Abstract

The article analyzes the development process of a new anti-corruption institutionality in Brazil, based mainly on judicial tools and on the legal system – police officers, prosecutors, and judges – that finds its highest expression during the Operation Car Wash. The hypothesis is that the new anti-corruption institutionality was built in the first term through justice policies coordinated by the Federal government, but was taken over by the Public Prosecution’s Office and the Judiciary. The article highlights the main characteristics of the new anti-corruption institutionality and introduces its historical construction, frame by frame, based on the evolution of task forces in Brazil from the Banestado Case to Operation Car Wash.

Citizens’ attitudes toward legal authorities in Brazil: Examining the impact of crime, insecurity, and corruption

“…In describing corruption in Brazil, Castro and Ansari (2017) concluded that corruption is a highly institutionalized practice and efforts toward change have done little. Several anti-corruption campaigns and programs in Brazil have not necessarily yielded the desired results they were institutionalized for (Castro & Ansari, 2017; Mészáros, 2020). However, some experts believe that there are times that anticorruption programs have yielded some positive results.…”

“…However, some experts believe that there are times that anticorruption programs have yielded some positive results. An example of these programs is the “Lava Jato” (Operation Car Wash) anti-corruption program that led to the arrest and prosecution of hundreds of politicians and business executives in Brazil (Moro, 2018; Marona & Kerche, 2021; Seefeld & Rese, 2020). In essence, although there are high levels of corruption in Brazil, there is also some optimism that efforts to address the problem are producing some remarkable results.…”

“…Corruption is a global issue of concern (Castro & Ansari, 2017; Katzarova, 2018). Brazil attracts a lot of attention when it comes to corruption because it experiences high levels of corruption scandals and has one of the weakest corruption indexes compared to other countries (Mészáros, 2020). In describing corruption in Brazil, Castro and Ansari (2017) concluded that corruption is a highly institutionalized practice and efforts toward change have done little.…”