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2007 Assessment

Mexico: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Mexico: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Anti-Corruption Agency
Indicators		Score
71	In law, is there an agency (or group of agencies) with a legal mandate to address corruption?	100
72	Is the anti-corruption agency effective?	33
73	Can citizens access the anti-corruption agency?	25

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

In law, is there an agency (or group of agencies) with a legal mandate to address corruption?

71: In law, is there an agency (or group of agencies) with a legal mandate to address corruption?

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: Secretaría de la Función Pública Ley Orgánica de la Administración Pública Federal (article 37)

Is the anti-corruption agency effective?

72a: In law, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) is protected from political interference.

Score:

YES

Comments: This is a Cabinet official appointed by the President.

References: Ley Organica de la Administración Pública Federal

72b: In practice, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) is protected from political interference.

Score:

100

Comments: This is entirely dependent on the President.

See performance audit conducted by the Supreme Federal Auditor on the Secretaría de la Función Pública included in its "Informe de Resultados" corresponding to the Cuenta Pública of 2004 (presented to congress in March 2006).

72c: In practice, the head of the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) is protected from removal without relevant justification.

Score:

100

Comments: This is up to presidential discretion. Calderon's head of the Secretary of the Public Function has just stepped down after only ten months of service to pursue the chairmanship of the ruling, PAN, party. Political appointments are typical for the office.

References: Ley Orgánica de la Administración Pública Federal Consitituional article 89

72d: In practice, appointments to the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) are based on professional criteria.

Score:

100

Comments: "El servicio profesional de carrera (SPC), establecido por la Secretaría de la Función Pública (SFP) en 2004 para garantizar "la legalidad, equidad y objetividad" en la contratación de servidores públicos en puestos técnico-directivos, obtuvo un desempeño de 508 puntos de un total de mil establecidos por la SFP, destaca la Auditoría Superior de la Federación (ASF) en el resumen ejecutivo de la Cuenta Pública 2005.

Aun cuando el SPC se puso en marcha el 2 de abril de 2004, luego de que se publicó el reglamento de la ley respectiva, la ASF detectó que en 2005 diversos subsistemas no se echaron a andar.

Cabe destacar que a finales de 2006, diputados de la 59 Legislatura cuestionaron el SPC porque no se licitó al Centro Nacional de Evaluación para la Educación Superior (Ceneval) la elaboración de los exámenes de ingreso al gobierno federal, y se detectó sólo en la SFP que más de 60 por ciento de los servidores que ingresaron provenían del estado de Chihuahua, de donde es originario su ex titular, Eduardo Romero."

References: [ LINK ] Ley del Servicio Profesional de Carrera

72e: In practice, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) has a professional, full-time staff.

Score:

100

Comments: Staff is significant but still insufficient.

72f: In practice, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) receives regular funding.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: The agency (or agencies) has a predictable source of funding that is fairly consistent from year to year. Political considerations are not a major factor in determining agency funding. <p>50 Score Criteria: The agency (or agencies) has a regular source of funding, but may be pressured by cuts, or threats of cuts to the agency budget. Political considerations have an effect on agency funding. <p>0 Score Criteria: The agency\'s funding sources are unreliable. Funding may be removed arbitrarily or as retaliation for agency actions.$

Comments:

72g: In practice, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) makes regular public reports.

Score:

100

Comments: Reports are annual.

References: www.funcionpublica.gob.mx Irma Eréndira Sandoval, "Calderón & Corruption," paper presented at the conference on The State of Mexico´s Democracy, Yale University, May 1st, 2007. Available at: [ LINK ] John Ackerman & Irma Eréndira Sandoval, "Fiscalización Intraestatal y Protección de Programas Sociales en México: Teoría, Práctica y Propuestas," United Nations Development Program, Mexico City, Mexico, 2007

72h: In practice, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) has sufficient powers to carry out its mandate.

Score:

100

Comments: There are systematic problems in actually punishing wrongdoing.

References: Irma Eréndira Sandoval, "Calderón & Corruption," paper presented at the conference on The State of Mexico´s Democracy, Yale University, May 1st, 2007. Available at: [ LINK ] John Ackerman & Irma Eréndira Sandoval, "Fiscalización Intraestatal y Protección de Programas Sociales en México: Teoría, Práctica y Propuestas," United Nations Development Program, Mexico City, Mexico, 2007 ASF, Informe de Resultados corresponding to the Cuenta Pública of 2004

72i: In practice, when necessary, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) independently initiates investigations.

Score:

100

Comments: It depends what is meant by "independently." All investigations are ultimately subject to presidential approval. The SFP has not been terribly proactive.

References: Irma Eréndira Sandoval, "Calderón & Corruption," paper presented at the conference on The State of Mexico´s Democracy, Yale University, May 1, 2007. Available at: [ LINK ] John Ackerman & Irma Eréndira Sandoval, "Fiscalización Intraestatal y Protección de Programas Sociales en México: Teoría, Práctica y Propuestas," United Nations Development Program, Mexico City, Mexico, 2007 ASF, Informe de Resultados corresponding to the Cuenta Pública of 2004, performance audit conducted by the Supreme Federal Auditor on the Secretaría de la Función Pública included in its "Informe de Resultados" corresponding to the Cuenta Pública of 2004 (presented to congress in March, 2006)

Can citizens access the anti-corruption agency?

73a: In practice, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) acts on complaints within a reasonable time period.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: Irma Eréndira Sandoval, "Calderón & Corruption," paper presented at the conference on The State of Mexico´s Democracy, Yale University, May 1st, 2007. Available at: [ LINK ] John Ackerman & Irma Eréndira Sandoval, "Fiscalización Intraestatal y Protección de Programas Sociales en México: Teoría, Práctica y Propuestas," United Nations Development Program, Mexico City, Mexico, 2007 Performance audit conducted by the Supreme Federal Auditor on the Secretaría de la Función Pública included in its "Informe de Resultados" corresponding to the Cuenta Pública of 2004 (presented to congress in March 2006)

73b: In practice, citizens can complain to the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) without fear of recrimination.

Score:

100

Comments: There are no anonymity or confidentiality clauses.