Corruption in Brazil: How to Break This Destructive Cycle?
Understand how corruption has become deeply rooted in Brazilian society and learn how every citizen can be part of the change. The fight against impunity starts now!
São Leopoldo, March 1st, 2025 - Year II - Edition 059
Hello, how are you? Welcome to edition 059 of our newsletter.
We have reached a crucial moment in our country, given what we see daily in the news — including international media, where Brazil is being portrayed in a concerning light. Today, we face two choices: either we take a stand and fight for a better future, or, in a short time, the dystopia presented in George Orwell’s work will become our reality.
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Corruption in Brazil: How to Break This Destructive Cycle?
Understand how corruption has become deeply rooted in Brazilian society and learn how every citizen can be part of the change. The fight against impunity starts now!
Corruption is not an isolated problem in Brazil; it is a structural evil that permeates all levels of society. From small daily acts to major scandals that shake the nation, it has become an intrinsic part of our culture. But how did we get to this point? The answer lies in historical roots and the normalization of practices that eroded the country's ethical values over time.
The challenge is understanding why corruption has become so entrenched in Brazil and how it impacts the lives of millions. This text seeks to uncover the causes, expose the devastating effects, and outline paths to break this cycle. Change begins with awareness, but it requires collective action and the courage to confront a system that benefits few and harms many.
What is Corruption?
Corruption is the misuse of public or private power for personal gain to the detriment of the collective interest. It manifests in various forms: bribery, fraud, nepotism, embezzlement, and influence peddling. According to the philosopher Aristotle, “the corruption of the best is the worst of things,” a reflection that resonates to this day, especially in Brazil, where the practice has become endemic.
Transparency International defines corruption as “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.” In the Brazilian context, this ranges from the "little tricks" used to bypass rules to billion-dollar scandals involving politicians and businesspeople. Operation Lava Jato, for example, uncovered a bribery scheme that embezzled more than R$6 billion from public coffers, according to data from the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office.
Corruption is a crime and a mechanism that perpetuates inequalities and undermines trust in institutions. As the jurist Dalmo Dallari warned, “Corruption is an evil that destroys democracy and citizenship.” Combating this problem requires not only stricter laws but also a cultural shift that values ethics and the common good.
The Historical Roots of Corruption in Brazil
Corruption in Brazil is not a recent phenomenon; its roots go back to the colonial period, when the unrestrained exploitation of natural resources and an oppressive bureaucracy created fertile ground for illicit practices. The Portuguese Crown, interested only in extracting wealth, established an administrative system marked by privileges and favoritism. As historian Sérgio Buarque de Holanda (1902–1982) observed in Roots of Brazil:
“Portuguese colonization was essentially predatory, based on exploitation and improvisation.”
In this context, the famous “Brazilian way” (jeitinho brasileiro) emerged, initially as a survival strategy to deal with absurd rules and distant authorities. However, what began as a form of resistance transformed into a harmful cultural habit. The “jeitinho” came to be used not only to circumvent difficulties but also to justify acts of corruption, such as bribery and fraud. Sociologist Roberto DaMatta, in Carnivals, Rogues, and Heroes, describes this duality: “The jeitinho can be both a creative solution and a way to perpetuate illegality.”
The colonial legacy left deep marks on the Brazilian mentality. Lack of transparency, personal favoritism, and impunity became common practices, perpetuated over the centuries. As economist Celso Furtado highlighted in The Economic Formation of Brazil:
“The colonial structure created a hierarchical and unequal society, where corruption flourished as a mechanism for maintaining power”
Today, the “jeitinho” is still viewed with a degree of complacency, but its impact is devastating. It feeds a vicious cycle of moral distortion, undermining trust in institutions and hindering the country’s development. To break free from this legacy, it is necessary to recognize that the “jeitinho” is not a solution but part of the problem.
The "Quid Pro Quo" Politics in the Empire and the Republic
The practice of "quid pro quo" is deeply rooted in Brazilian history, dating back to the Imperial period and continuing through the Republic. During the imperial era, clientelism and the exchange of favors were mechanisms of political control, as highlighted by historian José Murilo de Carvalho in Citizenship in Brazil:
"Politics was a game of interests, where favors ensured loyalties."
The scenario changed little after the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889. Vote-buying, nepotism, and political bargaining continued to dominate the system. Sociologist Raymundo Faoro, in The Owners of Power, describes how the political elite perpetuated corrupt practices to maintain control.
Today, "quid pro quo" remains a reality, evidenced by scandals such as the Mensalão and Operation Car Wash. This culture of favor-trading corrodes democracy and reinforces inequality, showing that the past still haunts the present.
The Role of Culture in the Normalization of Corruption
The "Jeitinho Brasileiro" is often romanticized as a form of cultural cunning, but its trivialization hides a social cancer. Originally, it emerged as a response to colonial oppression, where the population used creativity to survive abusive laws and exploitation. Anthropologist Roberto DaMatta, in What Makes Brazil, Brazil?, explains: “The jeitinho is a way of negotiating with the rigidity of a system that has never been fair.” However, this practice evolved from a tactic of resistance into a mechanism of systemic corruption.
The line between "cleverness" and crime is thin. While in the past, the jeitinho was used to circumvent absurd taxes imposed by the Crown, today, it justifies tax evasion, bribery, and fraud. As sociologist Jessé Souza warned in The Elite of Backwardness, “the normalization of the jeitinho is the acceptance of illegality as the norm.” The Lava Jato scandal, which embezzled billions of reais, exemplifies how seemingly "minor" practices feed colossal schemes.
Society pays the price for this duality. Normalized corruption in everyday life — such as cutting lines or falsifying documents — reinforces a culture of impunity. According to philosopher Vladimir Safatle, “the ethics of the jeitinho is the denial of citizenship.” If not addressed, this cultural trait will continue to undermine institutions and deepen inequalities. The challenge is to transform "cleverness" into collective responsibility.
Social Tolerance and Impunity
Corruption thrives on social complicity. Small acts, such as cheating on income taxes or bribing a traffic officer, are seen as "normal," but they form the foundation of a corrupt system. Jessé Souza states: “Corruption in Brazil is not a deviation, but an organized system that benefits a few and harms many.” This leniency creates a vicious cycle: Impunity for minor offenses legitimizes billion-dollar schemes.
The culture of “turning a blind eye” is deeply rooted in history. Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, in *Roots of Brazil*, already pointed to the “cordial man” as someone who prioritizes personal relationships over the law. Today, 83% of Brazilians consider corruption “part of the country’s culture,” according to a Transparency International survey (2021). Scandals like the Mensalão and Lava Jato flourished in this environment, where justice is slow and selective.
As long as society tolerates “small theft,” large-scale embezzlement will continue unpunished. Breaking this logic requires not only strict punishment but also an ethical revolution that begins in everyday life.
Corruption in the Public and Private Sectors
The relationship between politicians and businesspeople in Brazil is marked by a toxic alliance that turns public power into a bargaining chip. Scandals such as the Mensalão and Operation Car Wash (Lava Jato) exposed how this partnership operates: Companies finance political campaigns and, in return, receive overpriced contracts, tax exemptions, and political protection. According to the Federal Public Ministry, Operation Lava Jato embezzled more than R$6 billion from public coffers, involving construction companies, politicians, and even entire political parties.
The Mensalão scandal, revealed in 2005, was a landmark case in showing how public money was used to buy political support. Former congressman Roberto Jefferson exposed a scheme of monthly payments to lawmakers in exchange for votes favorable to the government. Political scientist Wanderley Guilherme dos Santos (1935–2019) described the case as:
“a system of institutionalized corruption, where the state becomes hostage to private interests.”
Operation Lava Jato, launched in 2014, uncovered an even more complex network. Companies like Odebrecht paid astronomical bribes to politicians and political parties while siphoning off resources from public works projects. According to data from the investigation, more than 200 people were convicted, including former presidents and business executives. Prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol, in The Fight Against Corruption, stated:
“Corruption is a white-collar crime that destroys trust in institutions and hinders the country’s development.”
This dangerous partnership between the public and private sectors not only diverts essential resources but also perpetuates inequality. While politicians and businesspeople amass wealth, the population suffers from hospitals lacking medicine, inadequate schools, and deficient infrastructure. Combating this practice requires transparency, strict punishment, and a cultural shift that prioritizes the public interest over private profits.
The Cost of Corruption to Society
Corruption is a silent theft that drains vital resources from the population. According to the Brazilian Institute of Planning and Taxation (IBPT), Brazil loses approximately R$ 200 billion per year due to the misappropriation of public funds. This amount, which could be invested in healthcare, education, and infrastructure, is diverted into private pockets, leaving hospitals without medicine, schools in poor condition, and roads full of potholes.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) warns that corruption exacerbates social inequality by concentrating wealth in the hands of a few while millions live in precarious conditions. The case of Operation Car Wash (Lava Jato), for example, revealed billions that were embezzled instead of used for public works, such as ports, airports, and refineries in our country.
The human cost is immense. According to the World Bank, reducing corruption could save millions of lives by ensuring access to basic services. Meanwhile, society pays the price with lost lives, denied opportunities, and a compromised future. Fighting corruption is not only a moral issue but also an urgent necessity for the development of the country.
The Impact of Corruption on the Life of Brazilians
Corruption is not just a political or economic problem; it is a destructive force that exacerbates social inequality and compromises Brazil's future. When public resources are embezzled through fraudulent schemes, the most vulnerable populations pay the highest price. Hospitals without equipment, schools lacking qualified teachers, and roads in precarious conditions are direct consequences of this ethical and financial hemorrhage, according to an article by Emerson Träsel. Corruption steals the money that should ensure healthcare, education, and infrastructure for all, perpetuating cycles of poverty and exclusion.
Studies show that countries with high levels of corruption tend to exhibit greater educational inequality and a lower average number of years of schooling among their citizens, states Tiago Cordeiro in an article published on the Gazeta do Povo website on March 20, 2021. In Brazil, this translates into entire generations being deprived of basic opportunities while a minority enriches itself at the expense of public funds. Furthermore, mismanagement and the diversion of funds intended for public education deepen social wounds, creating a society that is lenient and skeptical of its capacity for change, adds Raquel Branquinho in an article published on January 1, 2021, on the Jota website.
Corruption also erodes trust in institutions, fueling a vicious cycle of distrust and political apathy. When the population perceives that its leaders act in their self-interest, the sense of powerlessness and social exclusion grows. This scenario not only perpetuates inequality but also amplifies violence and instability. Combating corruption, therefore, is not merely a matter of justice but an urgent necessity to ensure a fairer and more equitable country.
Brazilian Justice and Impunity
In Brazil, justice is often portrayed as an unbalanced scale, tilted in favor of the powerful. Lengthy legal proceedings and weak laws have turned the judicial system into a mechanism of impunity for many corrupt individuals. The sluggishness of the judiciary is alarming: civil cases in the country last an average of 600 days — nearly three times longer than the international average. This sluggishness not only erodes public trust but also ensures that serious crimes either expire due to statutes of limitations or are forgotten in the drawers of the system.
Data reveals that 97% of corruption crimes in Brazil go unpunished, with only 3% of offenses being effectively penalized, according to an article published on August 9, 2016, on the website of the Chamber of Deputies itself. This catastrophic scenario exposes institutional fragility and the inability to hold wrongdoers accountable. The 2023 Impunity Atlas ranked Brazil 70th out of 163 countries, highlighting that the higher the impunity index, the greater the sense of social injustice.
Moreover, the perception that laws are "weak" and protect only the privileged fuels public disillusionment. When citizens realize that justice is accessible only to those who can afford it, a vicious cycle of distrust and apathy emerges. Even landmark legislative measures like the Clean Record Law (*Lei da Ficha Limpa*), created to bar convicted politicians, face difficulties in practical application, reinforcing the idea that Brazil is a "haven of impunity," as stated in the article “Brazil has numerous laws to punish corruption, but enforcement is flawed,” published on August 25, 2014, by the Chamber of Deputies' news agency (Agência Câmara de Notícias).
This reality not only perpetuates corruption but also undermines democracy. While corrupt individuals remain free, the Brazilian people continue to pay the high price of judicial inefficiency. It is urgent to reform the system to ensure that justice ceases to be a privilege and becomes a right accessible to all.
Lengthy legal proceedings and weak laws ensure that many corrupt individuals are never punished.
Corruption and the Media: The Role of the Press
The press is undoubtedly one of the main tools in the fight against corruption. Its ability to investigate, expose, and denounce scandals has been crucial in uncovering fraudulent schemes that often operate in the shadows of power, according to an article published on June 8, 2005, on the website of the Federal Comptroller General's Office (Controladoria Geral da União). However, this role is not free from contradictions and vulnerabilities. The media, as a social agent, can also be co-opted by political and economic interests, transforming itself into an instrument of manipulation and distortion of reality.
Historically, the Brazilian press has played a pivotal role in revealing emblematic cases of corruption, such as the Mensalão scandal and Operation Car Wash (Operação Lava Jato). These journalistic investigations not only revisited high-impact crimes but also mobilized society in the pursuit of justice. Nevertheless, the same media that exposes corruption can be used to fuel biased narratives, promoting "traumas, phobias, and prejudices among the population" for the benefit of specific groups, says Maíra Costa Fernandes in her article “Criminal Procedure and Media: The Press Amidst the Spectacularization of the Process,” published in June 2020.
Moreover, the presence of propaganda and manipulated information in news and on social media threatens democracy, distorting public perception about the true culprits and the necessary solutions. To fulfill its role ethically and effectively, the press needs to "take a step forward," promoting systematic debates and avoiding the superficiality that often characterizes the coverage of complex issues, according to an article published on September 22, 2011, by Lilia Diniz on the Observatório da Imprensa website.
Therefore, while the press is essential in combating corruption, its performance requires constant vigilance. Without transparency and independence, it can become part of the problem, perpetuating cycles of abuse of power and misinformation.
How Can the Population Fight Corruption?
Corruption is not just a political problem but a social disease that perpetuates itself due to a lack of education and ethical values. Teaching citizenship and ethics from an early age is essential to changing this reality, as raising conscious youth can transform entire generations, according to an article published by the Senate News Agency on March 24, 2022. However, Brazil still neglects this crucial role of education, treating it as secondary compared to other priorities.
Countries that invest in preventive education about corruption, such as the experience of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in Hong Kong, show that teaching ethical behavior and holding young people accountable for the future of society significantly reduces misconduct rates. In Brazil, initiatives such as including content on ethics and combating corruption in school curricula have been proposed, but their implementation remains insufficient.
Moreover, it is necessary to go beyond the classroom. Public campaigns and community debates must be expanded, encouraging the population to report irregularities and demand transparency. As experts have stated, "it is necessary to create an environment where this issue cannot take root," in a publication by Andre Derviche for the Jornal da USP on November 4, 2021. Without education and awareness, we will remain trapped in a vicious cycle of impunity and distrust in institutions. The future begins today, in schools and the minds of young people.
Citizen Participation and Social Control
Monitoring politicians and reporting irregularities is not only a right but also an obligation of every citizen who desires a fairer Brazil. Social control, understood as the active participation of society in public management, is an essential mechanism for preventing corruption and strengthening democracy, according to an article published by the CGU (Comptroller General of the Union) in 2010. However, this powerful tool remains underutilized, often due to misinformation or distrust in the system.
The Federal Constitution guarantees that any citizen can report illegal activities to the Courts of Accounts (Tribunais de Contas), but few are aware of this right or exercise this role. Active social control pressures rulers to act transparently, reducing the scope for abuses. As experts have emphasized, "a vibrant social control enables greater citizen participation" and strengthens democracy, states a note from the Ministry of Justice of the Federal District. To change this reality, action is needed. Reporting, monitoring, and demanding accountability are concrete steps toward transformation.
Final Considerations
Corruption in Brazil is a cultural cancer that has eroded our society for centuries. It is not merely a political problem but a legacy of deeply rooted practices. Overcoming it demands profound and urgent changes.
Small individual actions can transform collective mindsets. Monitoring, reporting, and demanding transparency are essential steps. Change begins with each citizen, with every ethical choice.
Now is the time to act! You can make a difference. Share your ideas in the comments below on how to combat this evil. Share this article and inspire others to join this fight. Together, we can build a fairer future.