Quién Compró? is a data journalism platform designed to monitor and foster transparency in the use of public money in the Chambers of Deputies and Senators in Mexico.
Transparency problems in Mexico
1. Mexico has a Congress with high levels of opacity
The legislative power is one of the least transparent institutions in Mexico. In many cases, citizens have no possibility to track how millions of pesos are spent.
2. Congress spends an excessive amount of money
The Mexican parliament is the fifth most expensive in the world. A Mexican senator receives 13,400 dollars per month, whereas a German congressman receives 10,400 dollars per month.
3. Transparency is expensive
Citizens have to pay in order to receive detailed public information. Very frequently, it is not available in a digital format.
4. Delayed responses
Mexican citizens have to wait up to 8 months to receive a response from the authorities, which as well, in many cases, might not be completely satisfying.
5. Information is delivered in "unfriendly" formats
The Mexican Congress does not have an open database; it provides information only in hard copy or PDF document format. This complicates the ability to analyze the presented data and represents an obstacle for accountability.
Quién Compró? General & Particular Goals
General. To monitor and foster transparency in the usage of public money in the Mexican Congress.
Particular.1. To elaborate a database of the congress expenditures. 2. To facilitate the access to the new created database for the public. 3. To generate easy-to-understand visualizations of important data.
Targeted Users
1. Citizens Visual material will allow tracking in detail Congresses spending.
2. Investigators Quién compró? plans to offer the possibility to download data directly from their website so it can be used for investigative purposes.
3. Journalists Data can also be used easily to increase public awareness.
How they do it?
*Gathering essential evidence, using the Transparency Law to access to official contracts and bills.
*Organizing the information to build an open database.
*Facilitating the access of data by constructing an interactive search engine for the public to consult it.
*Visualizing the data of mayor importance.
Impact
Short Term- To provide citizens, for the fist time, with an access tool that illustrates how Congress spends their money.
Midterm - Journalists will have access to raw material for further investigations that might influence Mexican public agenda.
Long term- By revealing the uses and abuses of public money, judicial processes can be initiated, contributing to the fight against corruption.
Scale
Quién Compró? is planing to associate with local groups and institutions, interested in the creation transparency of the local Congresses expenditures, in the different states of the Mexican Republic. They also will offer their platform and consulting services to replicate the model at the local level.
Funding
Quién Compró? is a non-profit organization, but aspires to become self-sustaining through actions such as:
*Donations
*Funds raised via crowd funding
*Financial support from other non-governmental organizations and universities
*Special events
*Collaborations to different communications means.