/"Yet in choosing to invest in Latin America, energy executives and foreign diplomats say, Moscow is becoming involved in one of the most problematic countries in the region. Nations like China and Iran have faced a morass of corruption and institutional disarray while seeking to expand their presence here."/
Medvedev faces hard sell in Latin America - International Herald Tribune http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/21/america/russia.php
When Argentina was privatizing its utiltiies and corruption was rampant, all I read on the (U.S.) press were people hailing the "reforms". That's how we ended with two private local-loop monopolies which adjust the phone rates by the inflation index in another country (the U.S.).
I remember that by around yr2000 or thereabouts there was a paper out by the World Bank or other such international organization with an "estimate" on the amount of money which exchanged hands under the table during Argentina's privatization wave. It was shocking at the time because the "estimate" (and you know there is no paper receipts for bribes) was done by a source outside the country.
Now, I can't find it. Any sources/links/ideas would be welcome.
FC PS: Googling one of the author's names of the above story brings up this funny write-up http://www.borev.net/2007/04/so_you_want_to_be_a_foreign_co.html