In 2024, Brazil recorded its worst position in the Corruption Perceptions Index (IPC), which is compiled annually by Transparency International. The country dropped to 107th place among 180 nations, marking a decline from its 96th position in 2022 and 104th in 2023.

With 34 points on a scale from zero to 100 (where zero represents the highest level of perceived corruption and 100 symbolizes full integrity), Brazil is now ranked alongside Algeria, Nepal, Thailand, and Turkey. This result highlights a worsening perception of integrity in the Brazilian public sector. For comparison, in 2012, the year the historical series began, Brazil held a position similar to that of some European Union countries, such as Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania. Since then, Brazil has dropped 38 places from its highest ranking.

In the Latin American context, Brazil continues to lose ground compared to its neighbors. Uruguay leads the region with 76 points, ranking 13th globally. Chile, Costa Rica, Suriname, and Guyana also performed better. Even Argentina (37 points) and Colombia (39 points), which often face structural challenges similar to Brazil’s, outperformed Brazil in this edition of the index.

According to Transparency International, Brazil's declining performance is associated with factors such as:

• The silence of President Lula regarding the anti-corruption agenda;
• The lack of transparency surrounding the New Growth Acceleration Program (Novo PAC);
• The increase of political interference in Petrobras;
• The review and renegotiation of leniency agreements established under Operação Lava Jato;
• The uncontrolled expansion of parliamentary amendments without clear oversight criteria.

In response to Brazil’s drop in Transparency International’s ranking, the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU) questioned the IPC´s methodology, emphasizing that the index measures perceptions rather than concrete occurrences of corruption. The CGU argues that countries conducting more frequent investigations into illicit activities may be perceived as more corrupt, even when actively addressing the issue.

The agency also highlighted that the Federal Government has implemented significant measures to strengthen transparency and internal control, such as expanding the Transparency Portal and launching the 2025-2027 Integrity and Anti-Corruption Plan, which includes 260 strategic actions.

In this scenario, it is important to monitor the IPC´s impact on the business environment in Brazil, which is expected to lead to an increased workload for compliance teams, especially in cross-border operations.

We emphasize that this content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional legal advice. Our team remains available to provide any necessary clarifications regarding the topic discussed.