Brazil: Corruption and anti-corruption

This Anti-Corruption Helpdesk brief was produced in response to a query from a U4 Partner Agency. The U4 Helpdesk is operated by Transparency International in collaboration with the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre based at the Chr. Michelsen Institute.

Query

Please provide a summary of the key corruption risks and the anti-corruption framework in Brazil, with a focus on subnational government bodies and the urban transportation sector.

Summary

In Brazil’s recent history, high-profile scandals have made corruption a significant issue within political discourse. Key risks include bid rigging and collusion for public contracts as well as gaps in the anti-corruption institutional framework in states and municipalities, undermining scaled-up investment at the subnational level and in the urban transport sector.

Main points

• In the past two decades, high-profile scandals have made corruption a significant issue in public discourse. However, the sustainability of anti-corruption efforts has repeatedly been undermined by political and judicial interference.
• In recent years, Brazil has generally experienced a deterioration in the prevalence and levels of control of corruption, according to indicators.
• Despite some measures to rein in illicit campaign donations, new political finance risks have emerged such as illegal funding of disinformation campaigns.
• Transparency gaps have been identified regarding federal transfers, notably through the infrastructure development funds for subnational governing entities under the growth acceleration programme (PAC). For example, legislative budget amendments are increasingly introduced by political actors to direct public funds for the benefit of their states and municipalities
• Public procurement processes can be vulnerable to risks of bid rigging, collusion and cartel behaviour, although the new public procurement framework promises to enhance transparency and oversight.
• Brazil’s anti-corruption legal framework is increasingly comprehensive but with noted gaps around lobbying and whistleblower protection.
• An array of institutional anti-corruption actors exists, but mostly at the federal rather than subnational levels. Some bodies have reportedly been subjected to political interference.
• Civil society and media voices face recurring threats, such as disinformation and violence.

Authors

Maria Dominguez

Reviewers

Jamie Bergin, Karin Adams (TI)

Rosa Loureiro-Revilla (U4)

Date

11/12/2025

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