INC director Luca Manassi warned of possible illegalities in the purchase of the María Dolores field for $32.5 million.
In an interview with Uruguay al Día, INC director Luca Manassi questioned the legality and price paid for the María Dolores field. He warned of potential personal liability and urged caution in the use of public funds.
Luca Manassi during the interview in which he questioned the purchase of the field.
In an interview with Uruguay al Día , the director of the National Institute of Colonization (INC), Luca Manassi, addressed the controversial purchase of the María Dolores field for $32.5 million. The official warned that the transaction could present legal and financial irregularities.
According to Manassi, the discussion about the legality of the purchase is based on opposing interpretations by agrarian law specialists. He recalled that in 2018, a report by Dr. Jorge Fernández Reyes—used by the then administration—indicated that four votes were required to approve such acquisitions. However, in the 2025 transaction, the purchase was finalized with three votes, two of which were questioned.
The director noted that, although reports were requested from a private university and from the INC's internal lawyers, who endorsed the approval by three votes, legal doubts persist. "There may be potential illegalities, and that is what the Court of Accounts also warned about," he said, adding that the prudent course of action would have been to halt the process to avoid legal risks.
When asked whether continuing with the purchase without meeting the legal quorum requirement would violate current regulations, Manassi responded that it would, mentioning that the lack of a quorum is provided for in Law 11,029. He also emphasized that, although he does not believe there was any direct intention to ignore the warnings, the decisions were made without exhausting the necessary analysis.
Regarding the price paid, Manassi indicated that the INC paid $7,300 per hectare, while reports from the Ministry of Livestock's Observatory of Public Agricultural Policies (OPIPA) estimated the average value in Florida at around $4,000 per hectare. The difference was justified by the property's infrastructure and the interest of a private company in acquiring it, although Manassi cautioned that it is unclear whether the INC will be able to take advantage of those facilities in the same way.
He also revealed that some of the equipment—valued at $2.8 million—was not ultimately included in the transaction, which, in his opinion, increases the overprice. “Without the irrigation equipment, the real value of the transaction is even more questionable,” he said.
The official also raised the need to evaluate the social impact of these types of purchases, noting that across the country there are hundreds of unanswered land requests and settlers facing significant hardship. "Spending 33 million in Florida is like going to colonize 18 de Julio and Ejido in Montevideo," he explained.
Regarding the productive project for the farm, he noted that the final plan was drawn up after the purchase was finalized and that the previous document was only a projection of potential, presented to comply with legal requirements. This, he said, makes it difficult to assess economic viability before committing public funds.
Regarding potential liability, Manassi did not rule out legal or administrative consequences for those who endorsed the transaction, citing Article 150 of Law 11,029, which establishes joint liability for directors who act contrary to law or regulations. However, he insisted that any determination requires a thorough review.
The director does not believe that his dissenting vote generated political pressure or marginalization of his role, and stated that his role is to oversee, supervise, and make proposals within the INC. "I contribute from the legal perspective and work as a team where I can," he said.
Finally, he questioned the agency's level of transparency and noted that there are processes that should be more open to the public, such as the allocation of land and the purchase of properties. He confirmed that he, along with a legal team, is evaluating the possibility of pursuing legal action to review the transaction. "We are studying all alternatives. I am not ruling anything out," he concluded.
