What is state capture and why does it matter?

State capture occurs when individuals or groups exercise control over institutions to favour their interests. Examples include crypto-billionaires funding political parties for legislative advantages, drug traffickers bribing officials for safe cocaine passage, and human traffickers installing loyalists within enforcement agencies. Furthermore, foreign powers may use compromising evidence against presidents to dictate government policy. These diverse forms of capture demonstrate how influential lobby groups and criminal entities undermine official mandates to secure specific business or political outcomes.