State Capture Index (StCI)
We measure state capture in Latin America, a phenomenon that reflects the ability of particularistic interests to shape the functioning of the state. Our proposal broadens the traditional approach by considering, in addition to political and economic influence, the military’s impact on public administration and the penetration of subnational actors, such as local elites or criminal groups. The State Capture Index (StCI) synthesizes these four dimensions, offering a comprehensive perspective on the dynamics of capture in the region since 2012.
StCI METHODOLOGY AND INTERPRETATION
Our concept of state capture follows a multidimensional logic, as this phenomenon operates in different ways without the need for all of them to occur at the same time. Therefore, we aggregate the four dimensions using an unweighted simple average, which preserves conceptual traceability and allows for comparisons between countries and years.
Scale: ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 indicates the lowest level of state capture and higher values indicate greater levels of state capture.
Data source: V-Dem. We standardize all values to the 0-1 interval (limiting possible outliers) and normalize the ordinal variables.
Suggested citation:
Hidalgo, M., Yanes-Rojas, A., Baeza, J., Jara, I., Fierro, M., & López, S. (2025). State Capture Index in Latin America: InCE-LabTA. Universidad UTE.
