Vítor Escária

Vítor Manuel Álvares Escária (born 21 August 1971) is a Portuguese economist, specialized in European funds, and politician.

He got his PhD in economics in 2004 from the University of York in the UK. position that he would keep until 2011. He maintained business relations with Venezuela.

He was made a defendant in 2017 in the case and scandal known as Galpgate, resigned and returned in 2020.

Operation Influencer

On 7 November 2023, due to Operation Influencer, some people were arrested, including António Costa's chief of staff, Vítor Escária, António Costa's close advisor, Diogo Lacerda Machado, and the mayor of Sines, Nuno Mascarenhas.

Judicial searches of Escária's office and home due to suspicion of lithium and hydrogen shady businesses.

Vítor Escária was found with 78,000 euros in his office. Asked why 78,000 euros in banknotes were found in Escária's office, his lawyer said that if it had been deposited in the bank there would have been "terrible trouble", although he assured that the money found is not illegal. António Costa sacked Escária, his chief of staff, after learning that the Public Prosecutor's Office had found the notes hidden in his office, being replaced with Tiago Vasconcelos.

On 13 November 2023, the five defendants who were arrested as part of Operation Influencer, including Escária, were allowed to wait for their trial in freedom. This happened in the same day that João Galamba resigned. Vítor Escária had to surrender his passport and was also prohibited to leave Portugal.