Beginning of article  Transparency International's 2002
Corruption Perceptions Index 2002 (CPI), released Aug. 28 in
Berlin, did not put Latin American countries in a favorable
light. Argentina was singled out for its dramatic increase in
corruption during the previous year, while Paraguay was ranked
one of the three most-corrupt nations of those rated.
"Political elites and their cronies continue to take kickbacks
at every opportunity. Hand in glove with corrupt=D4 and
hampering sustainable development," said Peter Eigen, chairman
of TI, the respected global coalition against corruption, at the
release of the 2002 CPI. "Corruption is perceived to be
dangerously high in poor parts of the world, but also in many
countries whose firms invest in developing nations."  The CPI
this year ranked 102 countries on the degree to which corruption
is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. It
uses 15 different polls and surveys from nine independent
institutions carried out among business people and c