During its previous administration, the National Science and Technology Council (Conacyt) transferred at least MXN $50,000 million to international companies , claims María Elena Álvarez-Buylla , the new Conacyt director.
“For me, as a scientist, this isn't acceptable in a country where we haven't, according to my information, received the 0.4% of the gross domestic product (GDP) for science and technology. I don't understand how they made those contributions in the last six years,” said Álvarez-Buylla .
According to the head of the Conacyt , they are still investigating the financial transfers, “if we add up all the funds , scholarships , and academics (sic.), they are around MXN $50,000 million. We are still gathering information because the information is scattered,” but she claims that although they don't have the exact number, they consider a “ reliability status of around MXN $15,000 million.”
Alvárez-Buylla
emphasized that in contrast with the millions of pesos given to the private sector, “many of them are international companies ”, research was affected and some scientists had to put their projects on hold.
“I'm not surprised that year after year, there was a large number of colleagues at the UNAM and other public research institutions with brilliant careers , promising projects, groups of scientists waiting to carry on with their projects and they were left without the minimum resources to continue their careers ,” she said.
“Mr. Andrés Manuel López Obrador is aware of the essential role of science , humanities , and technology as spearheads and driving forces of the 4th Transformation ,” she said.
Nevertheless, the current administration cut MXN $2,500 million from the Conacyt's budget , a lower amount than what was allocated to it during Enrique Peña Nieto's presidency.
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