Corruption consolidation in local governments: Networks, opacity, and governance failures

Abstract

    This article examines the consolidation of corruption in local governments through a case study of Operation “Bad Paths” in Manaus, Brazil. Using a theoretical framework that integrates networks, organizational mechanisms, opacity, and checks and balances, the study explains how systemic vulnerabilities enable corruption to become embedded and self-sustaining within governance systems. The analysis, grounded in legal and prosecutorial findings, highlights how public-private networks exploited weak oversight and simulated transparency to divert over 100 million Reais in health funds, exacerbating governance failures. Departing from traditional top-down anti-corruption strategies, this study introduces an innovative framework to understand local corruption through its unique socio-political and institutional contexts.