• Job performance management has not been truly 3.1.2 implemented, and when it is applied it is a formal process International statutory commitments to subject to adaptive conducts. This subsystem is the least integrity in the civil service developed in most of the region’s countries; for example, Central American countries, except for Costa Rica, have formal performance evaluation processes that are left virtually unimplemented. At the First Summit of the Americas, held in December 1994, • Management of compensation is characterized by 34 countries of the Hemisphere declared that “[e]ffective a widespread system of internal inequality in terms of democracy requires corruption to be comprehensively fought, salary. There is limited information about employment and as it constitutes a factor of social disintegration and of distortion remuneration, and it is presumed that in Peru, Ecuador, of the economic system undermining the legitimacy of political El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Paraguay there is institutions.”5 They drew up an Action Plan that asserted the severe internal and external unfairness. governments’ pledge to develop “a hemispheric approach to 6 ending corruption in the public and private sectors.” This was • As for the promotion of employees and training, there is a the first public step toward negotiating the first international wide range of situations, from the total absence of career treaty against corruption. After two years of negotiations, the streams and certain cases where career streams suffer Inter-American Convention against Corruption (IACAC) set a from problems of rigidity to exceptional cases where there series of standards governed by international law to prevent are elements of flexibility. The management of professional and punish corruption, as well as to cooperate to combat it. development is marked by higher levels in Brazil and Chile, followed by Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, and The IACAC started recognizing that “representative democracy, Costa Rica. an essential condition for stability, peace and development of • The scant capacity for mainstreaming a human resources the region, requires, by its nature, the combating of every form system is evident in the widespread absence of policies of corruption in the performance of public functions, as well as for the management of the working environment and acts of corruption specifically related to such performance.” communication, and coverage of social security benefits Because of that, the signatory states agreed that the purposes is not generally provided for temporary contract-based of that international instrument would be to “promote and procurement, which contributes to the precariousness of strengthen the development by each of the States Parties of the the employee relationship. In Brazil and Chile, initiatives mechanisms needed to prevent, detect, punish and eradicate have been observed geared to consolidating merit-based corruption” and to “promote, facilitate and regulate cooperation criteria for career advancement and efforts have been among the States Parties to ensure the effectiveness of made to steer training towards strategic goals. measures and actions to prevent, detect, punish and eradicate corruption in the performance of public functions and acts of • It has been confirmed that institutions in charge of corruption specifically related to such performance.” promoting or administering human resources policies have As for the present note, the treaty included Article III on shown little maturity, except for certain cases that show greater continuity and benefit from more political support, preventive measures that committed signatory states to as in Colombia and Costa Rica. consider a series of norms, mechanisms, and systems, among which there were some focusing on integrity in public office. That norm provided as follows: Over ten years, much progress has been noted, although at varying degrees, and it is possible to see, in greater detail, the complexity “For the purposes set forth in Article II of this Convention, the and difficulties still being encountered by reforms in the civil service. States Parties agree to consider the applicability of measures In subsequent sections herein, the situation of integrity in the civil within their own institutional systems to create, maintain and service shall be examined within the context of the pandemic. strengthen: Cultivating a culture of integrity in the civil service in times of crisis 18