The SUSY CP Problem and the MFV Principle

We address the SUSY CP problem in the framework of Minimal Flavor Violation (MFV), where the SUSY flavor problem finds a natural solution. By contrast, the MFV principle does not solve the SUSY CP problem as it allows for the presence of new {\it flavor blind} CP-violating phases. Then, we generalize the MFV ansatz accounting for a natural solution of it. The phenomenological implications of the generalized MFV ansatz are explored for MFV scenarios defined both at the electroweak (EW) and at the GUT scales.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures. V2: one comment added, published version in PL

A New Light Particle in B Decays?

We investigate the possibility whether the tensions with SM expectations observed in several b -> sll transitions, including hints for lepton flavour non-universality, could be due to the decay of B into a new light resonance. We find that qualitative agreement with the data can be obtained with a light vector resonance dominantly decaying invisibly. This scenario predicts a shift in the muon anomalous magnetic moment that could explain the long-standing discrepancy. The most stringent constraint comes from searches for B decays with missing energy. A striking prediction is a strong q^2 dependence of the lepton flavour universality ratios R_K and R_K* that should allow to clearly confirm or rule out this possibility experimentally. We also comment on the possible connection of the invisible decay product with Dark Matter.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. v2: typos corrected, references and clarifications adde

Privatization and Changes in Corruption Patterns: The Roots of Public Discontent

This paper offers a theory of how the degree of corruption that prevails in a society responds to changes in the ownership structure of major public service providers. We show that there are cases in which privatization, even though it fosters investments in infrastructure, also opens the door to more corruption. The public dissatisfaction towards privatization is then crucially affected by the changes in the degree and pattern of corruption. Our model thus helps understand the seemingly paradoxical situation prevailing in Latin America, where most studies find that privatizations have been efficiency-enhancing and have fostered investments and, at the same time, popular dissatisfaction with the process is extremely high, especially among the middle class. We show that this line of explanation is supported by evidence from surveys in the region.