2007 Assessment

This peer-reviewed country report includes:

Integrity Indicators Scorecard: Scores, scoring criteria, commentary, references, and peer review perspectives for more than 300 Integrity Indicators.

Reporter's Notebook: An on-the-ground look at corruption and integrity from a leading local journalist.

Corruption Timeline: Ten years of political context to today's corruption and integrity issues.

Country Facts: Statistical context for each country.

Mexico has a strong legal framework for fighting corruption, but the practical reality is one of very weak governance and anti-corruption, in part due to the influence of narcotics cartels. Mexico is "one of the most dangerous countries for journalists in the world" because of threats from political figures and narcotics gangs, discouraging corruption investigations. Civil society is less restricted, often playing a role directly in policy making. The widespread influence of executive branch authority over the anti-corruption agency and law enforcement agencies (appointing members and approving investigations according to executive discretion) limits the effectiveness of these institutions.