Mecanismos de participación ciudadana y control social en los programas de transferencia condicionada de renta en México y Brasil, un análisis comparado

Abstract

Conditional transfer programs are the main strategy to alleviate poverty in several countries of Latin America. This paper aims to analyze, from a comparative perspective, the mechanisms and procedures of social control and participation in the most important programs in the region: Progresa / Oportunidades in Mexico and Bolsa Familia in Brazil. It recaptures the importance of comparing the central processes of conditional transfer programs to understand what are discretionary items, and the ways in which these programs prevent discretionary points where could be the possibility of corruption and/or patronage. We describe the mechanisms for participation and social control, and we conclude that, although is unable to generate social control by the beneficiaries, there are tools of social controls that limit their use of patronage and/ or heritage.