| | |  Editorials | Issues | December 2009 
The Challenge of Illicit Finance in Politics
 Guillermo Ramón Adames y Suari - PVNN
December 27, 2009
 |  | The problem of 'illicit money' in elections is not new and it is not an exclusivity of Mexico. |  | | |
The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) held its 2009 Democracy Round Table on "Illicit Funding in Politics as a Challenge to Democracy". The Round Table was held on 1-2 December in Mexico City.
Mr. Felipe Calderon, President of Mexico presented at the very beginning of Mexico's Chairmanship as the main subject, "Illicit Finance in Politics". He addressed the Round Table with a summary of what he considers the situation is like in Mexico. How the problems are understood and some of the actions and the Institutions that Mexico have to make the Elections as good and transparent as possible.
The problem of "illicit money" in elections is not new and it is not an exclusivity of Mexico, but Mexico suffers from a very deep penetration of politics by crime, which takes all sorts of angles and moves. It goes from purely organised crime to infiltration in all levels of government and all political parties. Money generated by trafficking in drugs, arms, extorsion of human beings either by the organised crime or by abuse of power of the parties currently in power, distorts considerably the will of the people. Illicit money buys "shares of political power". Or to sum up all: it buys everything and specially politics.
It came out relatively clearly that organised crime while not respecting country's borders, its influence definitely interacts with other countries. It is not only the interaction with the US only: the whole of the world is implicated. So, on the surface there are certain illicit moves and underground there are other ones. Supra national parties financed by the crime could take the way to control not only countries but regions altogether. Countries in transition to a deeper democracy, are far more vulnerable, more easily "buyable" by crime and in the end, its destabilization can even be violent.
Participants also stressed the overwhelming complexity of addressing the problem effectively because it often has socio-economical and structural root causes. They appealed for a multi-pronged approach covering security and law enforcement, but also one which seeks to make democratic institutions more effective, particularly in delivering social and economic development, thus enabling political actors to respond to popular needs and to make society as a whole more resistant to the pressure of criminal networks.
Two key areas were stressed: the need for holistic approaches and the need for strengthened international cooperation, taking the latter to new levels (possibly by engaging the UN General Assembly and the Security Council).
President Felipe Calderon called for international solidarity and action in order to bar the way of organised crime.
Guillermo Ramón Adames y Suari is a former electoral officer of the United Nations Organization. Contact him at gui.voting(at)gmail.com |
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