Ethics in Public Practice

Introduction: Ethics in public administration has been considered a fundamental pillar for transparency and accountability in governmental decision-making. In this sense, the study addressed ethics in the city council of Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, during the period 2021-2024, with the purpose of analyzing its influence on political decision-making. It was hypothesized that the degradation of ethics in the public servants of Patzcuaro was the result of various factors, such as social pressure, personal ambition and the influence of power. For this purpose, a bibliographic review on ethics in public administration was carried out and the regulations in force in Mexico were analyzed. Development: The research explored the origin and evolution of ethics in public service, highlighting its importance in the configuration of administrative principles. The values established by international organizations such as the OECD and the national codes of ethics governing the behavior of public servants in Mexico were identified. Likewise, an analysis of the municipality of Patzcuaro, its institutional values and its focus on improving the quality of life of citizens was presented. Through the study of these elements, the impact of ethics in municipal management and its application in practice was evaluated. Conclusions: The analysis evidenced that ethics is essential for the proper functioning of institutions and citizen trust in government. Although there are regulations and principles established to regulate the conduct of public servants, their effective application has been a constant challenge. Transparency, accountability and honesty were identified as fundamental values to avoid corruption and ensure that public administration works in the collective interest.