CULTURAL PRESENTATION AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF CORRUPTION CASES IN LATIN AMERICA: ART, SYMBOLISM, AND LEGITIMATION OF POWER

Polo O.C.C.; Escobar S.B.V.; Saldana O.T.; Argueta P.I.A.; Toxqui E.I.S.; Campos E.R.; Castillo C.A.P. · Scientific Culture (2025) · DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.11322515

Resumen

This study aims to analyze the cultural presentation and concrete cases of fraud and corruption across various sectors in Latin America from the perspective of individuals involved in legal proceedings. The goal is to identify common patterns, understand the underlying causes, and provide insights to strengthen institutional prevention and control mechanisms in the region. The research adopts a qualitative approach, with exploratory and descriptive components, drawing on interviews, testimonies, and judicial documentation. Using a multiple case study design, the analysis covers different sectors public, private, health, financial, and commercial in several Latin American countries. The findings indicate that corruption and fraud are deeply entrenched and have become institutionalized as routine practices rather than exceptional events. From the perspective of those involved, these behaviors emerge in environments characterized by hierarchical pressures, the need to meet targets, weaknesses in internal controls, permissive cultural frameworks, and a widespread perception of impunity. Repetitive behavioral patterns, narratives that justify illegal actions and sociocultural factors that normalize such practices within organizations are identified. The investigation shows that these dynamics are sustained by permissive organizational cultures, ineffective control systems, and weak law enforcement. The study's most significant contribution lies in offering an insider's view of the phenomenon, providing valuable evidence for the design of public policies, legal reforms, and more effective and context-sensitive educational strategies to structurally combat fraud and corruption in the region.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Chota