Global Survey Finds Latin America Ranks 4th in Demanding Bribes

06 December 2007 -- A new survey reports that more than 20 percent of people polled in Latin America say they paid a bribe in the past year to obtain a service, down slightly from the previous year.

The survey, known as the Global Corruption Barometer, was released Thursday by the Berlin-based anti-corruption group Transparency International.

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According to the poll, most bribes in Latin America were paid to the police more than 20 percent and to the judiciary about 11 percent.

Despite the report's indication that corruption in the region is waning, the study found that nearly half of the respondents from Latin American countries expect corruption to increase within the next three years.

The survey listed people in Colombia and the Dominican Republic as the region's most optimistic that government efforts to fight corruption are effective.

Transparency International says more than 63,000 people were interviewed this year for the survey in 60 countries and territories.

Source: VOA News