A recently launched platform utilizes investigative journalism to identify cross-border corruption patterns. This initiative encourages individuals to report wrongdoing by corporate, government, or public entities, ensuring source confidentiality.
From covering bribery schemes to the misuse of public funds, investigative journalism in Latin America often entails deep dives into corruption.
Now, a new platform spearheaded by ICIJ member Milagros Salazar, aims to help journalists, academics and public officials connect the dots of corruption cases across borders. Salazar, the director of Peru-based investigative journalism center and ICIJ media partner Convoca launched Observatorio Transfronterizo de la Corrupción — the Cross-border Corruption Observatory — in December.
The anti-corruption project, which was in the works for months, includes a database that allows users to search recent investigations by Convoca and over a dozen media partners, allowing them to analyze by country and topic area.
Salazar launched the Observatorio with a series of virtual workshops where investigative journalists, prosecutors, attorneys, human rights experts and civic leaders shared tools, ideas and challenges of investigating corruption. To lead the workshops, Salazar tapped Gabriela Flores, a journalist specializing in investigations into state capture, human rights violations and the impact of corruption on citizens’ rights. Together, they led three panels: one on corruption patterns and methods; one on the intersection of corruption, organized crime, and money laundering; and a third on the legal frameworks that enable corruption.
“From the start, we wanted to create a space where authorities, civil society experts, and journalists could exchange perspectives in a more dynamic and fluid way,” Flores said.
ICIJ spoke to Milagros Salazar and Gabriela Flores to learn about the new platform, their panels and what the project may mean for tackling corruption in the future.
The following interview has been translated from Spanish and edited for brevity and clarity.
Read the full article here: https://www.icij.org/news/2025/01/new-platform-draws-on-investigative-journalism-to-identify-cross-border-patterns-of-corruption/