Copyright by Manuel Elías Balán 2011 The Dissertation Committee for Manuel Elías Balán Certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: Today’s Allies, Tomorrow’s Enemies? The Political Dynamics of Corruption Scandals in Latin America Committee: Kurt Weyland, Supervisor Daniel Brinks Zachary Elkins Kenneth Greene Wendy Hunter Raul Madrid Adam Przeworski Today’s Allies, Tomorrow’s Enemies? The Political Dynamics of Corruption Scandals in Latin America BY Manuel Elías Balán, LLB Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin August, 2011 Dedication A mis padres, Elizabeth Jelín y Jorge Balán, a mi hermano Pablo Balán, y a mi Celina Van Dembroucke. Acknowledgements During the years that it took me to research and write this dissertation I have incurred many intellectual and personal debts. I am most grateful for the generous intellectual support of Kurt Weyland, my academic advisor and chair of my dissertation. He provided detailed, immediate, and constant feedback in all stages of this study, and challenged me to think about every single aspect of my research. His remarkable professionalism is a true example of academic rigor and generosity. Thank you for your mentorship and guidance. I would also like to thank the other members of my dissertation committee. Dan Brinks went far beyond the call of duty, providing sharp theoretical and methodological feedback and helping me think through all the academic and personal challenges of carrying out my research. He is not only an excellent and creative scholar, but he is also an incredibly nice and modest person. I want to especially thank Dan for his friendship and for being such an inspiring example. Ken Greene provided expert and generous feedback, particularly at two key points in my years as a Graduate Student: first when I was working on the research proposal, and then at the latest stages of writing the dissertation. He has been a constant source of support and encouragement, and he believed so much in me and this project that he helped me believe in it whenever I was having doubts. I truly thank you for your comments, always sharp and creative at the same time. Raúl Madrid also provided mentorship and was instrumental in helping me draft early versions of my research project. He was the very first person to suggest and encourage me to work on corruption, which in handsight has been undoubtedly the right decision. Wendy Hunter was always supportive and tolerant, and really helped me keep the big picture in mind. She has a knack for framing questions and arguments, and v generously shared her wisdom with me. Wendy was always very supportive of my research in Brazil, providing feedback and suggesting lots of relevant and interesting literature, which I promise I will include when, hopefully, this dissertation becomes a book. Zach Elkins joined my committee later in the process, and since then he has been a very valuable mentor and friend. Thanks to him I became part of the Comparative Constitutions Project, which gave me the opportunity to be part of a truly professional collective research project. Last but not least, Adam Przeworski’s advice has shaped my entire path as a political scientist. From the time I was considering applying to PhD programs until the day I defended this dissertation, Adam has been a constant source of support and guidance. The comments of the members of my committee pushed me to think in new and different ways, and their fingerprints are all over this study. Thank you for your generosity and help. All errors and omissions are, of course, my responsibility. Many other people at the Government Department have contributed to this dissertation. Annette Carlile was always ready to solve all administrative issues and was essential to the completion of this dissertation. Nancy Moses and all the staff were also supportive and willing to aid in every way necessary. Other Professors were also helpful in various ways: Kathy Boone, Zoltan Barany, and Henry Dietz, among others. Robert Moser deserves special recognition for all that he has done for me. He was essential both in finding funding well as in helping me navigate through the job search process. In fact, this dissertation was only possible thanks to the support of the Government Department, the Institute of Latin American Studies, and the College of Liberal Arts of the University of Texas at Austin. I learned as much from my peers as I did from my teachers. I thank all the members of the Latin American Faculty-Student Group through the years, who read and commented on multiple drafts of many chapters of this dissertation. I especially want to vi thank Rodrigo Nunes, Eduardo Dargent, and Daniel Ryan, who read many early drafts, providing feedback that helped me clarify my thoughts. Austin Hart not only read and commented on many aspects of this study, but he also patiently sat down with me on more than one ocassion and allowed me to pick his brain in order to make sense of the formal model I was struggling with. Other colleagues also helped in different ways: Luis Camacho, Mary Slosar, Paula Muñoz, Kristin Wylie, Laura Field, Patrick Hickey, Abby Blass, Alberto Vergara, and many others. Outside the Government Department, Chris Gaffney and Craig Adair became my big brothers by choice, lending a hand—or two— whenever was necessary. Also, a group of friends in Austin generously offered to comment on my presentation of the Chilean case: Isidora Errázuriz, Guillermo Blanc, Jaime Portales, Sebastián Valenzuela, Teresa Correa, Eva Dardati, and Julio Riutort. All of them, together with many other friends in Austin made life as a Graduate Student a very pleasant experience. While conducting fieldwork many people offered valuable feedback and opened several doors for me. Many journalists, politicians, activists, witnesses, judges, and prosecutors were open to talk to me and answer my many questions. The list is too long to go one by one, and many requested to remain anonymous, but thanks to all of them for sharing their stories and juicy details with me. In Argentina, Catalina Smulovitz and Carlos Acuña have been excellent interlocutors from the outset. In fact, Cary was the one who suggested I should look at the instances in which corruption becomes public, and planted the seed of what would become the main argument of this dissertation. Roberto de Michele gave me the incredible opportunity to work at the Anti-Corruption Office when I was very young and raw, and that experience was key in informing much of what I know about corruption and transparency policies. The participants at two presentations at UTDT and one at UdeSA vii helped polish aspects of this study. I also benefitted from multiple conversations with Marcelo Leiras, Alberto Föhrig, Ana María Mustapic, Sebastián Pereyra, Roberto Gargarella, Nicolás Raigorodsky, Néstor Baragli, and Guillermo Jorge, among others. I am also grateful to Roberto Saba, who generously offered me workspace at the ADC, which hosted my first few months doing fieldwork in Buenos Aires. Lucía Aboud and Rodrigo Martínez provided valuable research assistance. In Chile, Teresa Valdés opened the doors to her house and took great care of me. Moreover, she generously shared her vast knowledge about Chilean politics and put me in touch with many politicians and academics. Pato Navia also helped me in many ways, from lending me his office at the UDP to discussing ideas and connecting me with potential interviewees. Many professors at PUC were especially open to discussing my project and helped me improve this dissertation, in particular David Altman, Juan Pablo Luna, Alfredo Rehrén, Rodrigo Mardones, Andreas Feldman, and Valeria Palanza. Sergio Toro also shared ideas and data with me, and helped me understand the particularities of Chilean politics and politicians. I also benefitted from talks with Carlos Huneeus, Ricardo Gamboa, and Claudio Fuentes, among others. Jazmín Voight provided valuable research assistance. My family and friends provided much needed emotional support. My mother Elizabeth Jelín and Mauricio Taube made me feel as if I had never left Guate. My father Jorge Balán together with Susana Balán, were always present, creating a sense of home wherever they were. Both my mother and my father, accomplished academics as they are, also gave me illuminating comments and guidance, and above all are a great example for me. My brother Pablo Balán has been a constant support and understands me better than almost anybody. Laura and Alejo Taube are the best example that brother/sisterhood is something you can construct when you really care about one another. Natasha and Paula viii Pravaz, mis hermanas mayores, always managed to make me feel close to them, despite the physical distance. My friends Rodrigo, Gabi, and Bolo probably will never read this dissertation (perhaps not even the acknowledgements!), but without knowing, they also make me feel like home whenever I’m back in Buenos Aires. Lastly, my wife Celina Van Dembroucke makes every day worthwhile, including all those in the last few years that I spent rezongando with this dissertation. She simultaneously manages to provide incredible support and patience as well as to remind me each day what are the important things in life, keeping me—and my ego—in check. She even read with me and laughed at Pizza con Champán before going to bed. What more could I ever ask for? Her intelligence, sensibility, companionship, and many other gifts are omnipresent throughout this dissertation. Luckily, they are also everywhere in every single aspect of my life.