, ▁international ▁invest ors ▁and ▁financial ▁institutions ▁in ▁Argentina ▁and ▁Latin ▁America . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁consult ant ▁to ▁the ▁Inter - American ▁Development ▁Bank , ▁World ▁Bank , ▁International ▁Mon et ary ▁Fund ▁and ▁chief ▁econom ist ▁of ▁the ▁Latin ▁American ▁Econom ic ▁Research ▁Foundation . ▁He ▁received ▁the ▁K one x ▁Prize ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁he ▁entered ▁politics ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁of ▁Def ense ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Rad ical ▁C iv ic ▁Union ▁( U CR ). ▁He ▁remained ▁in ▁this ▁position ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁when ▁he ▁briefly ▁took ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Minister ▁of ▁Econom y ▁in ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Argentina . ▁En jo ying ▁little ▁political ▁support ▁from ▁President , ▁Fernando ▁de ▁la ▁R ú a , ▁he ▁was ▁fired ▁within ▁two ▁weeks ▁after ▁a ▁wave ▁of ▁protest ▁over ▁his ▁proposed ▁fis cal ▁a uster ity ▁project , ▁by ▁which ▁he ▁sought ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁economic ▁crisis ▁but ▁which ▁sharp ly ▁cut ▁education ▁sp ending . ▁ ▁He ▁founded ▁a ▁conserv ative ▁liberal ▁political ▁party , ▁Rec reate ▁for ▁G row th ▁( RE CRE AR ), ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁and ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁in ▁the ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁elections , ▁finishing ▁third ▁behind ▁Carlos ▁Men em ▁and ▁N ést or ▁Kirch ner , ▁with ▁ 1 6 . 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁vote . ▁He