Unrest in Ecuador.

Recently, in Ecuador, there has been a rise in violence, particularly post-Covid. However, yesterday, a TV station called TC in the city of Guayaquil was stormed by several gunmen. According to a report in Axios, the attack on the TV station was related to a well-known leader of a notorious gang, Adolfo Macias, escaping from his cell in a maximum-security prison. According to an article in the BBC, 130 prisons are being held hostage by inmates across several prisons across Ecuador. The Ecuadorian president, Daniel Noboa, sworn into office in November, has recently announced an ambitious plan which, according to Reuters, includes building new maximum-security prisons, developing a new gang-related intelligence unit, and procuring new weapons for the security services. This plan would cost $800 million, with the US government contributing 200 million primarily for acquiring the weapons. It appears that Noboa faces a massive task in controlling the prison system and limiting gang-related influences in Ecuadorian society.

EU Approves Membership Talks with Ukraine.

Yesterday, the EU approved membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova. While this is undeniably a big step for Ukraine as a country, it is not certain that Ukraine will be accepted into the bloc. According to a report in The Guardian, Hungarian President Viktor Orban, a well-known ally of Russia and President Putin, is threatening to hold up the process in any way possible. It is entirely possible that Orban’s sole goal was to get the EU to release 10 billion Euros from the EU budget. Ukraine has a lot of work to do before it can be accepted into the bloc. According to an article in Reuters, Ukraine must continue to clean up its judicial system and hire more anti-corruption professionals. It will be a long road, but based on its recent track record, Ukraine is committed to joining the EU despite the ongoing conflict with Russia.

The State of Corruption in Moldova.

(Disclaimer: Yesterday, I attended an event at the Brookings Institute where the Justice Minister of Moldova spoke about the country’s Anti-Corruption efforts).

Moldova borders Ukraine in Eastern Europe, and Russia is viewed as its sphere of influence due to Moldova being part of the Soviet Union. According to the Anti-Corruption Resource Center, Moldova is a country that, like many in the region, has a strong oligarchy where corruption and bribery are prevalent. Despite this, in 2021, the election of Maia Sandu and the Party of Action & Solidarity (PAS) signaled a new era of commitment to anti-corruption initiatives. An article by the Center For Security and International Studies states that due to the conflict in Ukraine, Moldova has applied for membership to the EU despite opening up to foreign investors and instituting judicial reforms. While these are encouraging steps to combat corrupt influences, it appears that, like Ukraine, Moldova is trying to make strides in eradicating corruption.

The Hidden Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan.

In recent months, Sudan, in particular the western region of Darfur, has been in the midst of a wide-ranging conflict that has triggered a humanitarian crisis. According to an article in Politico, the UN is concerned about a repeat of the genocide that occurred between 2003 and 2005 in Darfur, where it is estimated that 300,000 people were killed in Darfur. The current conflict, which started earlier this year between the Sudanese government and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Force (RSF), has been largely overlooked by the world’s press. According to a report on ABC News, 800 people were killed in a multi-day attack by the RSF last week. Sadly, no ceasefire is on the horizon, and history will repeat itself.

Panama Removed from FATF Gray List.

Last week, Panama was from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Gray List. FATF is an Inter-governmental organization that monitors corruption worldwide. According to an article in the US News, the Panamanian government has made enough reforms to the financial sector that the country can be taken off the list. This will, according to the article, open the door to more international investment. While this is undeniably a good sign, one has to hope that the type of people who want to put money in Panama are doing it for the right reasons.

Former Albanian PM Ensnared in Corruption Probe.

The former Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha, was recently charged with corruption offenses. According to a Reuters article, Berisha hopes to steer the privatization of land once owned by a local football club, FK Partizani, in such a way that it would benefit a company owned by his son-in-law. According to a report from the AP, Berisha believes these charges are politically motivated by the current PM, Edi Rama. Berisha has a checkered history involving corruption; according to ABC News, in 2021, Berisha was banned from entering the US due to numerous allegations of corruption during their tenure as PM from 2005 to 2013. It is unclear how this will play out, but I would assume that Berisha may well be facing a stretch behind bars.

Menendez Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Corruption Charges.

Yesterday, according to an article on NBC Bay Area, Robert Menendez was back in a federal courtroom in New York City after the indictment was rewritten to add a charge. Menendez pleaded not guilty to being a foreign agent for the government of Egypt. According to an article on CBS.com, Menendez’s wife and Wael Hama, an Egyptian-American businessmen, pleaded not guilty last week, while Menendez was allowed to delay his arraignment due to his senate commitments. Due to these allegations, Menendez has stepped down from chairing the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The trial continues.

Former Head of China Bank Arrested on Corruption Charges.

Today, China arrested the former head of one of its largest commercial banks, Liu Liange. According to the BBC, Liu is accused of illegally granting loans, bringing banned publications into China, and accepting bribes. Liu was expelled from the communist party after this accusation came to light. According to Barrons, President Xi has been embarking on a wide-sweeping campaign to eradicate corruption from the Communist Party. One must assume that Liu probably won’t see the light of day soon.

Ukraine’s ongoing crusade against Corruption.

This week, the Ukrainian government under President Zelensky has been making further efforts to eradicate societal Corruption in Ukraine. Several outlets, including Reuters, have reported that a delegation of Ukrainian officials has met with Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security advisor, about improving anti-corruption efforts. Along with that is a report from the BBC that Ihor Kolomoisky, a well-known Ukrainian oligarch, is to be held in custody for two months on fraud and money laundering charges. Arguably, the most critical corruption story to come out of Ukraine is that President Zelensky has fired his defense minister, Oleskii Reznikov, because of allegations of Corruption. A report by the Washington Post suggests that Rustem Umerov, the former head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, will take over. While there is a long way to go, it is clear that the Ukrainian government is making strides in stamping out governmental malfeasance.

Bongo Deposed in Gabon.

This week, the president of Gabon, Ali Bongo, was deposed in a military-led coup. According to an article from the BBC, the military stepped in after Bongo had been announced as the recent election winner. Bongo had been in power for nine years after taking over from his father, who had been in power since the 1960s. Gabon has had a long history of corruption primarily due to its numerous natural resources, such as oil, being exploited by the Bongo family. According to the Washington Post, Gabon is the seventh country in Africa that has experienced a military coup in the last two years. Another report by the BBC suggests that Brice Nguema is an unlikely coup leader because he is reported to have close links to the Bongos. I fear Gabon will go the way of Niger and Mali, where the military coups have not led to meaningful change but more political instability.