# National Anti-Corruption Movement



## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

I just found this website for the "National Anti-Corruption Movement". They provide advice and assistance for people who want to denounce corruption, as well as promoting community works and altruism, to make Mexico a better place.

The website is in Spanish, but here is a translation of the organization's philosophy, objectives, mission, etc.:

PHILOSOPHY
The movement considers that the socioeconomic level of a person has nothing to do with the degree of corruption. What does directly affect corruption is the attitude a person takes towards life and how they fulfill their obligations towards others. This movement has no leader. Therefore, you are the head of your own movement.

OBJECTIVES :
To promote citizen participation and education as instruments in finding solutions to the problems posed by our social reality.
Fostering collaboration through community activities, to influence the response to the diverse problems the country currently faces.

VISION:
To succeed in the fight against corruption, combating it in the following ways:
-Not committing corrupt acts
-Not promoting corruption
-Not accepting corruption
-Denouncing corruption

MISSION :
Making society aware of how serious corruption is, raise awareness and engage people in the fight against it.
To fight against corruption, which distorts ethical thinking.

VALUES : 
-Courage
-Honesty
-Commitment

ACTION: 
-Education
-Work
-Orientation/Guidance

PRINCIPLES : 
-Truth
-Respect
-Legality

ACTION AREAS:
To achieve its stated objectives the MNA has a comprehensive program consisting of three strategic lines operating in all planned actions and goals:
-Legal Action (Legal Services)
-Educational Activities (Anti-Corruption Workshops)
-Promotion of Citizen Participation (Promoting a Culture of Denouncing Corruption)

Movimiento Nacional Anticorrupcción, la corrupción es la destrucción

In addition to the focus on combatting corruption, they also promote altruism and volunteerism, promoting "a culture of service" and helping others. One quote they use is a Spanish saying: "Obras son amores y no buenas razones", which I translate as "Love is shown through good works, not good intentions." (If someone has a better translation, let me know. I hadn't heard this saying before.) 

Also on the altruism page, they have a section called "Voluntades cambian realidades". "Voluntad" is one of those words which has more levels of meaning in Spanish than any single word in English. It means will, goodwill, willpower, wish, free will, one's own choice. In this context I would translate it: "Goodwill in action changes reality."


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

As I view the matter: Ending corruption in Mexico ... begins in the home. If the "government" is corrupt it's because so many Mexicans are corrupt, and benefit from the corruption. It takes a "village."


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

Longford said:


> As I view the matter: Ending corruption in Mexico ... begins in the home. If the "government" is corrupt it's because so many Mexicans are corrupt, and benefit from the corruption. It takes a "village."


therefore, do you likewise purport that alleged social injustice targeting people of color in Ferguson or Albuquerque actually originates at the kitchen table???


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Longford said:


> As I view the matter: Ending corruption in Mexico ... begins in the home. If the "government" is corrupt it's because so many Mexicans are corrupt, and benefit from the corruption. It takes a "village."


If you read the website, you will see that this movement - which as far as I can tell is by Mexicans for Mexicans and Mexico - promotes fighting corruption at all levels and creating a culture of honesty and integrity, as well as service to others. Their approach appears to be very much in keeping with "it takes a village." 

.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

LMtortugas said:


> therefore, do you likewise purport that alleged social injustice targeting people of color in Ferguson or Albuquerque actually originates at the kitchen table???


If you have issues with incidents in the USA, it's probably best you express your opinion on a forum on which they can be discussed in context ... such as the USA forum here on EF.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

Longford said:


> If you have issues with incidents in the USA, it's probably best you express your opinion on a forum on which they can be discussed in context ... such as the USA forum here on EF.


Longford, thank you for the link and counsel regarding unrelated thread issues and please excuse my infraction of forum rules deviating from subject content. Do you contend the current sweep across Mexico of riot and dissent, protesting the now assumed murder of teachers and bystanders by an alleged system of ethically compromised mayors and drug dealers should be redirected to the victims themselves who in reality constitute and perpetuate such social injustice?


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

Longford said:


> As I view the matter: Ending corruption in Mexico ... begins in the home. If the "government" is corrupt it's because so many Mexicans are corrupt, and benefit from the corruption. It takes a "village."


 How many families are you so intimately acquainted with that gives you such insight as to what goes on in the private lives of the people in this country? Have you ever really been assimilated adequately into the Mexican "village" in order to pass such judgments?


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

I have sat around many kitchen tables in Mexico, Guatemala and other Latin American countries, as well as of Latin Americans living in Canada. Great places, kitchen tables, not just for food, but for conversation and fellowship. 

Corruption is a systemic problem not just in Mexico, but throughout Latin America. Yet when I think of these kitchen table conversations over the years (along with many other shared experiences), I have found Mexicans and other Latin Americans to be just as honest, decent, hardworking folk as in other parts of the world. They care deeply about the issues of corruption and violence. Often they've felt powerless to do anything to change "the system". Those who have tried often ended up paying a high personal price. 

I have seen my Mexican friends and family raise their children with solid values, and now I see the next generation passing these values on to their own young children. I love talking to my teenage nieces and nephews, and hearing them reflect on both personal "How I want to live my life" themes, and broader issues (especially the environment and climate change). I don't think it's that I have lucked out and found a few really decent people. Actually, my broader social circle is quite diverse (except that they are nearly all Latin American). But I trust them implicitly and they are absolutely not part of the culture of corruption, at least not as far as it is in their power to avoid. 

Yes, I've had things stolen in Mexico, but I also have had the same happen in Nebraska and Ontario. Yes, I've known Mexicans who are deceitful, but I've also seen the same among plenty of born and bred Americans and Canadians of Northern European descent. I don't think that painting everyone with the same brush brings any clarity or resolution. That's why I was so heartened reading the website about this Anti-Corruption Movement, because these are people (Mexicans) who are trying to put into practice what they preach, and stop the minority who are scoundrels from taking advantage - and worse - of the majority who are honest and decent.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

ojosazules11, 

Indeed, a well articulated statement representative of many expats and relative to the mostly good people of Mexico.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Cristobal said:


> How many families are you so intimately acquainted with that gives you such insight as to what goes on in the private lives of the people in this country? Have you ever really been assimilated adequately into the Mexican "village" in order to pass such judgments?


Aside from what I know and have learned, one need not be a _rocket scientist_ to recognize how prevalent/serious corruption is throughout Mexican society; eyes, ears and a modest degree of intelligence and honesty are required (to recognize it), however. The various protest marches during the past two months have focused the attention of the nation once again on the seriousness of corruption, and the National Anti-Corruption Movement (the topic of this very discussion) has been formed to educate about and to battle the corruption. To deny the seriousness and scope of the problem would be foolish.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

Perhaps part of the problem and a solution would be to pay public officials a decent wage. This, however, might be asking the public to pay taxes at a more equitable level.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

Longford said:


> Aside from what I know and have learned, one need not be a _rocket scientist_ to recognize how prevalent/serious corruption is throughout Mexican society; eyes, ears and a modest degree of intelligence and honesty are required (to recognize it), however. The various protest marches during the past two months have focused the attention of the nation once again on the seriousness of corruption, and the National Anti-Corruption Movement (the topic of this very discussion) has been formed to educate about and to battle the corruption. To deny the seriousness and scope of the problem would be foolish.


I have yet to read a post referencing this thread that “foolishly denies” or fails to recognize Mexico suffers a problem with serial corruption, as your narrative wholly implies. The debate concerns does such corruption initiate amongst the majority, as you assert,…… it's because so many Mexicans are corrupt, and benefit from the corruption…… or the few that have maintained a longstanding system of governance that has advanced personal gain by marginalizing the vast majority of “honest & decent” people of Mexico. 

To pretend a committed teacher, hardworking mechanic, or volunteer fireman is responsible for and holds the cultural capital to alone resolve this systemic problem is both comical & absurd.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Unless one reads every single news report and then knows what criminals, their name, dates, events and places, are being caught doing in Mexico one does not have a sample of corruption to base their assumptions on. If it is not reported it is not know. If it is unknowable and one eliminates randon polls that are iffy at best then corruption is at a level of reported cases. To further what is reported and documented at this time one will not know any of the past, present and future events as who would be able tell for certain without a crystal ball what did, is and will happen. Otherwise it is rumor.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

joaquinx said:


> Perhaps part of the problem and a solution would be to pay public officials a decent wage. This, however, might be asking the public to pay taxes at a more equitable level.


I agree. It is particularly dangerous to underpay police and law enforcement people.

It is not just the tax rates that would need to be altered but the level of compliance.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

> This, however, might be asking the public to pay taxes at a more equitable level.


It's a quote almost 3 years old now (January 2012), but the numbers seem consistent with what I read regularly - that the corruption of tax evasion in Mexico has a huge negative impact on the nation:



> MEXICO CITY — In a nation with nearly half the population living in poverty, more than $872 billion has been lost to the Mexican economy over four decades to tax evasion, corruption and criminals, according to a report prepared by the group Global Financial Integrity.


I believe you will hear an explanation similiar to this from many of the corrupt: I have to steal, cheat or abuse others because I'm paid so little for my job. 

People aren't born corrupt. They learn how to be corrupt from people who have the greatest influence on their lives. For many, it's the easy way to earn a living as compared to people who are honest and hard working.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Mexico

"GFI's 2012 Mexico report found that between 1970 and 2010, $872 billion in illicit financial flows left Mexico. The report found that, unlike most oil producing nations, the majority of illicit flows left Mexico via trade-based money laundering, and the pace picked up significantly after the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)."

GFI researches money laundering. Where did most of the money come from?

Global Financial Integrity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

Longford said:


> Aside from what I know and have learned, one need not be a _rocket scientist_ to recognize how prevalent/serious corruption is throughout Mexican society; eyes, ears and a modest degree of intelligence and honesty are required (to recognize it), however. The various protest marches during the past two months have focused the attention of the nation once again on the seriousness of corruption, and the National Anti-Corruption Movement (the topic of this very discussion) has been formed to educate about and to battle the corruption. To deny the seriousness and scope of the problem would be foolish.


No one, as far as I have seen, is trying to deny nor diminish the problem. But your insinuations about the core of the problem lying within the Mexican family to me and others here, people that have a far greater and more profound experience in dealing with Mexican culture, are untrue. 

Let me again ask, how much personal experience do you have within a Mexican home to validate your opinion? Because in my case, I have fully functioning eyes and ears and more than modest intelligence, a degree of assimilation few on thes boards possess and I certainly haven't found your accusation to be accurate.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Additional thoughts on corruption in Mexico, and how deeply it's embedded:



> Mexican corruption does not begin and end with the government's involvement with the drug cartels. It begins with the architect who bribes the government employee into giving him a building permit. It begins with the drunk driver who gives money to the transit officer to get out of paying a fine. It begins with the average citizen accepting theft from her elected representatives as an unchangeable reality instead of the outrageous criminal act that it is. Mexican corruption is a societal problem that will only end once we let go of the notion that this is just how Mexicans are, and embrace the reality that we are capable of so much more.
> 
> The awakening that Mexico is experiencing, and the protests taking place all over the country following Ayotzinapa, highlight the fact that the change Mexico needs must start from the bottom.
> 
> ...


Click here, to read more.


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## Cristobal (Nov 25, 2014)

So, Longford, the architect refuses to pay a bribe for a permit to build a 16 unit apartment building. A job that will cost many millions of pesos and employ dozens of workers. Now what? The project never begins and no jobs are created. So the corrupt official suffers nothing but the architect and the rest of society that would benefit from the project do without.

How about punishing the government official that is forcing otherwise productive and honest hardworking members of society? How about sending him to jail for 3 to 5 and having his family suffer the consequences of HIS actions. I think that might make some of them sit up and pay attention.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

Longford said:


> Additional thoughts on corruption in Mexico, and how deeply it's embedded:
> 
> 
> 
> Click here, to read more.


Your post quoting an essay from the Huffington Post puts forward valid ideas & opinions. Yet I hardly empower significant authority into the social thought of a privileged Mexican student studying abroad at a prestigious university NOB still pursuing her degree as a junior (according to her written bio). 

Common life in Mexico will not improve until larger institutions of control & governance begin investing into the common people of Mexico the tools of law, education, and economics. William Julius Wilson, highly regarded sociologist, professor at both the University of Chicago and Harvard, wrote “all the right behavior in the world won’t create better jobs with more pay.”


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## vantexan (Sep 4, 2011)

A quick comparison of the history of the U.S. and Mexico. The U.S. was settled by large groups of Europeans who either inadvertently through disease or overtly through war killed or relocated native populations. Fleeing injustice in Europe they set up a system that would allow individuals to flourish and gov't to have transparency and accountability to it's citizens. Mexico was invaded by a small group of Europeans who brought European classism to the majority who they lived among and intermarried. The Europeans were at the top of society, and through constant conniving, intrigue, and violence, the rest of the power structure developed and entrenched itself into what Mexico is today. If the U.S. was run behind the scenes by the Mafia it would probably look a lot like Mexico. The cartels are an example of ambitious men who are stymied by the system and are seeking power and wealth outside of normal channels. Because of the money involved they've managed to gain cooperation of the power structure to the highest levels, and honest politicians, cops, and reporters who don't go along are murdered. We have corruption in the U.S., but corrupt officials and businessmen are often rooted out and imprisoned. In Mexico the rich and powerful ARE the system, and corruption is just business as usual. Your opinion may vary.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

*New Survey Results*

A recent government-agency survey in Mexico made its way into yesterday's media in Mexico ... this one from INEGI: _Encuesta Nacional de Calidad e Impacto Gubernamental_.

What I see in the report of this survey (I think I've read it correctly :

Approx. 90% identify the police as the most corrupt. 84% believe public employees ask for bribes (or charge _fees_) for services which should be free. 34% believe members of the military are corrupt, and that 29% of the clergy/religious institution employees are as well. Almost 20% belive their co-workers are corrupt and more than 17% say family members are corrupt.

Approx. 12% of survey respondents reported being victimized by corruption. Survey participants from Mexico City and San Luis Potosi complained most strongly about the corruption of public employees/officials, while those from Sonora and Guerrero complained the least. Almost 48% of respondents believe corruption exists in the city/town, etc. where they live.

The principal/main problems people identified:

1. Crime and Insecurity
2. Unemployment
3. Corruption
4. Poverty

About 31% of survey respondents believe the above-listed problems are due to failures of the current government.

Click here, to read the _El Universal _newspaper article in its entirety (in Spanish).


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

There's corruption and there's corruption. Looking the other way when someone is doing something "illegal" is not corruption. Being bought off by cartels is corruption. Police enforcing for cartels is corruption. Paying government officials to make rules allowing you to steal land on the coast is corruption.

It's very seldom the "Village" ..... the Village usually just puts up with it


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