Financial Crime World

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Argentina’s Performance in Tackling Organized Crime: A Summary

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Overview

Argentina has faced criticism for its handling of organized crime, with concerns over political influence on law enforcement efforts. However, the country has demonstrated cooperation with neighboring countries and European states to combat organized crime.

Criminal Justice and Security

Challenges in Combating Organized Crime

  • The judicial system’s capacity to counter organized crime is difficult to assess due to frequent instances of political interference.
  • Prisons are severely overcrowded, leading to substandard living conditions, poor food quality, and inadequate hygiene control.

Corruption and Public Trust Issues

  • Rampant corruption within the security sector has eroded public trust in law enforcement agencies.

Economic and Financial Environment

Anti-Money Laundering Efforts

  • Argentina has enacted anti-money-laundering legislation, but a comprehensive strategy to combat money laundering and terrorism financing is lacking.
  • This vulnerability contributes to a high risk of money laundering.

Business Operations

  • Legitimate businesses operate free from criminal activity, but the regulatory environment can make doing business challenging due to excessive bureaucratic hurdles.

Civil Society and Social Protection

Support for Human Trafficking Victims

  • The government has established a robust framework to assist victims of human trafficking, including a national witness protection agency.
  • A legislative mechanism guides the prevention, prosecution, and victim assistance related to human trafficking.
  • However, the lack of budget allocation for the 2018-2020 national anti-human trafficking action plan raises concerns about funding.

Press Freedom Concerns

Argentina performs relatively well in global rankings of press freedom. Despite this, defamation lawsuits have been used as a means to financially strangle critical journalists. Reporters have also faced harassment from police officers during street protests.