The new leader of the NGO International Transparency critically sees what she calls the “simplistic vision” of discussions about.
Maíra Martini, 41, Paulista de Mogi-Guaçu, assumed this month the post of CEO of the entity, the main administrative position of the NGO working in more than 100 countries with actions to confront corruption.
“We have to try to change this narrative a little and show the need for preventive measures. We don’t want to talk about corruption as it has happened,” she said in an interview with Sheet.
He has extensive experience in the organization, having previously worked at the Berlin -based NGO in areas such as confrontation with money laundering and illicit financial flow.
In the early days at the post, he has had to deal with the government’s decision to cut (United States Agency for International Development), which also affects the entity’s arms financing around the world.
Last week, perception of corruption around the world. Brazil appeared only in 107th position, among 180 countries, in its lowest score in the historical series.
The (PT) is critical of the methodology of this survey. The Minister of (Comptroller General of the Union) Vinicius Marques de Carvalho called in an interview the survey of “Boteco Conversation”.
Actions against corruption
Maíra Martini states that the “punitivist discussion of corruption, which is to increase the penalty” should not be the focus of the debate on the subject.
The priority, he says, should be more “prevention, detection.”
You need several things happening at the same time. You need strong institutions, a cool framework that does not let loopholes of understanding. It needs a competent and independent judiciary. And it needs active civil society, the active press and with space to speak. When you don’t have one of these elements, you don’t talk about combating corruption. “
Martini also sees a use of “anti -corruption narrative” by populist governments that, once in power, “weaken institutions, the space of association, the work of the press.”
“You have to understand who is talking to who in government, who is trying to influence. How public spending is being decided, which is a priority, which is not, who has subsidy, who does not have. All of this has to be open information for the public, for citizens to also be able to evaluate. “
Organized crime
Martini states that in many countries there is a “state capture” problem, with organized crime “deciding or acting within the state apparatus”.
“The systems and networks used for organized crime are usually the same as those used by corrupt, especially in transnational schemes,” she says, citing breaches as the ease of opening anonymous companies and bank laundering banks.
She also sees the lack of effectiveness of justice as a risk to the deterrent of crime. “When the judiciary does not work, you lose it. People’s risk appetite decide whether or not to get involved in a corruption case is another.”
Brazilian government initiatives
In November, the NGO promoted a protest during the meeting in Rio de Janeiro, charging world leaders that the theme of integrity was also part of the debates, which did not happen.
For Martini, the Brazilian government loses an opportunity to reinforce a leadership role by not bringing the subject to the discussions. But it says that, which will be held in Belém this year, and the meeting of (group that includes Russia, India, China, South Africa and other associates) are also other chances of debate.
“At the climate conference, if Brazil does not put the questions of integrity and transparency on the agenda, it runs a certain risk of going down many of the goals. It was exactly what we saw in the last two COPs, which were practically captured by the oil industry and other polluting actors. “
Jet
The CEO of International Transparency criticizes the annulment of evidence of the Odebrecht contractor, determined by the (Federal Supreme Court) and which affected in a series of cases of which were still under the country.
As he says, “obviously, corrupt from other countries are already making use of this decision.”
“Internationally everyone is trying to understand a little what will happen and if it will mean impunity for these politicians in many of these countries,” she says.
In 2016 had signed a collaboration agreement with authorities from Brazil, Switzerland and the United States in which he confessed bribe payment in 12 countries. In 2023, however, the Supreme Minister decided to invalidate the use of evidence on the grounds that there was a collusion between judge and accusation and also irregular transportation of the material.
The denunciation had resulted in legal proceedings in countries such as Peru and Ecuador, and now accused try to make use of the STF’s decision to overthrow
“The most absurd of all this is that in any of these cases these people confessed that they were involved in corruption scheme. And now it may be totally unpunished,” says the executive.
Friction with the Supreme Court
In Brazil, the NGO became a target determined an investigation into the entity’s participation in a leniency agreement of the group. The entity has always denied having directly or indirectly received any agreement from agreements and that would not have a resource management role.
Martini says the episode “can only be retaliation for the work that international transparency has done in Brazil”.
“It’s quite problematic when you have a monocratic decision from the highest court in the country, which is based on false information and has been denied several times.”
The Attorney General’s Office has already spoken out for the filing of the investigation.
Maíra Martini, 41
Graduated in Law and International Relations from PUC-SP, has a master’s degree in public policies from the Hertie School of Governance, Germany. It has been operating since 2011 at International Transparency and, from this month, became the new CEO (Chief Executive Officer).