In this task, you're given a statement and three sentences as choices. Your job is to determine which sentence can be inferred from the statement. Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or have details that are not mentioned in the statement. Indicate your answer as 1,2, or 3 corresponding to the choice number of the selected sentence.

Statement: The famous coziness among politicians, bureaucrats, and private companies, together with the strong cultural emphasis on relationship-building and a lack of transparency and accountability, eventually led to corrupt practices of endemic proportions. Choices: 1. The public outcry when the news broke was intense. 2. The close relationships between private companies and politicians led to greater transparency and accountability. 3. The close relationships between private companies and politicians contributed to endemic corruption.
3