Brazilian economist who awarded Milei prize was convicted of misuse of public funds.

247 - Brazilian economist Manuel Enríquez García, who presented Argentine President Javier Milei with the "Economist of the Year" award on Tuesday (25), was banned for five years from holding public office in Brazil in 2019, after being convicted of misuse of funds during his tenure at the Regional Economic Council of São Paulo (Corecon-SP). informs the Argentine portal El Destape Web. 

The conviction, issued by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), accused Enríquez of using his position as president of Corecon-SP between 2012-2014 and 2016-2018 to obtain undue advantages. According to the court, he diverted public funds to the Order of Economists of Brazil (OEB), a private non-profit entity, and committed irregularities such as nepotism, use of public assets for personal gain, and fraud in contracts.

The TCU (Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts) also highlighted expenses considered "contrary to the objectives" of Corecon-SP (Regional Council of Economics of São Paulo), such as the organization of social events, parties, and the purchase of a luxury vehicle for the public agency's fleet. In its resolution, the court considered "the irregularities committed by Mr. Manuel Enríquez García to be serious."

Award given to Milei generates controversy - The awarding of the prize to Milei, which took place in the presidential office of the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires, had already generated criticism from Brazilian entities. The Brazilian Association of Economists for Democracy (ABED) issued a statement of repudiation, classifying the choice of Milei as "legitimization of a destructive and anti-democratic economic project."

"The supposed stabilization of inflation, widely praised by its defenders, is nothing more than a repetition of disastrous policies of overvaluing the peso, historically responsible for successive crises in the country's balance of payments," stated ABED. The association also criticized Milei's alignment with the policies of former US President Donald Trump, which, according to the entity, represent "reactionary forces that threaten national sovereignty and the rights of peoples."

International impact - The award ceremony takes place at a time of economic crisis in Argentina, marked by recession, inequality, and the dismantling of social policies. Milei, who assumed the presidency in December 2023, has been criticized for his ultraliberal agenda, which includes drastic cuts in public spending and deregulation of the economy.

The choice of Enríquez to present the award also raises doubts about the credibility of the OEB. In its statement, ABED asserted that the current leadership of the organization "does not speak on behalf of Brazilian economists" and demonstrates "opportunism in attempting to legitimize policies that deepen inequalities and weaken national sovereignty."