“La Plata Llega Sola”

Corruption is a global problem that feeds on national and localopportunities. Instead of the prevailing attempts to reduce anti-corruptionstrategies to the protection of business interests, corruption needs to be seenas a sociopolitical relation that emanates from the convergence betweenmore immediate circumstances and long-term institutional tendencies.Corruption is, therefore, a phenomenon with synchronic and diachronicdimensions. The complexity of corruption is examined in relation to theorganization of Peruvian state and society, in particular considering therecent liberalization reforms and investments in the water industry of Lima.The Peruvian case study shows how corruption becomes a productive forcefrom the perspective of conservative elites and the maintenance of politicalhegemony.