Panama has again scored poorly in an influential global corruption index, reflecting a persistent lack of progress in tackling graft within its public sector. The country earned 33 out of 100 points in Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a score unchanged from the previous year and well below regional averages.
The 2023 index, presented locally by the Fundación Libertad Ciudadana, evaluates 180 countries and territories. Panama’s stagnant position places it alongside nations that have seen no meaningful improvement in how experts and business leaders perceive the integrity of their institutions. Analysts interpret the flatlining score as a clear signal of systemic inaction.
“Panama is stuck. With 33 points, it’s like getting an F in university,” said Carlos Barsallo, a member of Fundación Libertad Ciudadana. [Translated from Spanish] He described the annual index release as a kind of anti-corruption ritual where expectations rise and fall a few points without any real structural change occurring.
The nation now faces mounting pressure to move beyond symbolic gestures. Experts argue that legislative tweaks are insufficient without a genuine commitment to judicial independence and enforcing existing laws.
Measuring Perception and the Culture of Fear
The index itself functions as a composite score. It aggregates data from 13 external assessments provided by organizations like the World Justice Project and various think tanks. These evaluations measure factors including bribery, nepotism, conflicts of interest, and whistleblower protections.
For Panama, a critical barrier remains a pervasive culture of fear. Barsallo cited local survey data indicating that 74 percent of Panamanians fear reporting corruption due to potential retaliation. Citizens often believe the legal process will ultimately harm the accuser, not the accused. This chilling effect allows corruption to flourish in the shadows, undermining public trust.
Impunity Overshadows Legal Frameworks
The core issue, according to analysts, extends beyond corrupt acts to the near-total impunity that follows. Investigations frequently target former officials while overlooking those currently in power. This selective enforcement erodes faith in the system’s fairness.
“Independence is key. The people who investigate and judge must feel and want to be independent, even from those who appointed them,” Barsallo stated. [Translated from Spanish] He expressed skepticism about new anti-corruption laws working without this foundational autonomy, suggesting good laws are often blocked by entrenched interests.
Panama’s score of 33 sits nine points below the Americas regional average of 42. It trails regional leaders like Canada and Uruguay while outperforming nations such as Venezuela and Nicaragua. Globally, Denmark and Finland consistently top the list. Roughly 100 countries, including Panama, showed no score movement this year.
The report also warns that organized crime in Panama has evolved beyond street gangs. It now involves complex structures with professional enablers and sophisticated financial networks that facilitate illicit activities, further testing institutional resilience.
This year’s results deliver a familiar yet urgent diagnosis. Panama confronts deep structural challenges in accountability and institutional independence. While democracy indices sometimes present a more favorable view, as noted in an analysis from the economist intelligence unit, the corruption perception metric highlights a stark reality. The work of groups like Transparency International continues to spotlight these governance gaps. Real improvement, experts concur, requires dismantling the systems of impunity that have long defined the status quo.