Guatemala's private sector filed a legal action against the Superintendence of Tax Administration, arguing that the entity had indicated that it would defer tax collection if the restrictions remained in place, but did not do so.
The Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial and Financial Associations (Cacif) has issued a statement that "... despite the continuation of the curfew, as well as a severe limitation on freedom of movement, industry and commerce ... the collection entity omitted to extend the validity of resolution SAT-SDI-280-2020 and to declare as non-working days for the passing and occurrence of terms, from April 15 of the present year until the working day immediately following the lifting of the State of Calamity and restriction of the exercise of the right to free locomotion."
The document dated April 15 adds that "... SAT, by requiring today the payment of taxes, is unreasonable and puts at economic risk the existence of small and medium sized enterprises, which, at the same time, threatens the employment and stability of its collaborators."
Covid-19: How do the outlook for businesses in Guatemala change given the new commercial reality?
We prepared for our clients the report "Information System: Covid-19 and Business Outlook" which helps companies to measure the impact that the crisis will have on their activity in the coming months.
Guatemalan businessmen believe that in order to reactivate economic activity in the country, it is necessary to restrict the number of people in public spaces and increase the number of tests performed on those who have signs of carrying the virus.
Implementing a rescue plan in which SAT makes tax collections more flexible and IGSS assists employees is part of the proposal of Guatemalan businessmen in the commercial and service sector, given the crisis that has been generated by the health emergency.
Extension of deadlines for the payment of taxes and flexibility in the submission of income tax returns by natural and legal persons are some of the measures that the authorities will implement in the context of the Covid-19 crisis.
With no details on the new deadlines that will be required of taxpayers, the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) reported that the measures are contained in Executive Decree 252 of March 24.
The Superintendence of Tax Administration declared the days between March 24 and April 14 as non-working days for the purposes of calculating the periods established in the tax legislation.
On March 24, Resolution of the Superintendence of Tax Administration Number SAT-DSI-280-2020 was published in the Official Journal, in which the days of March 24, 25, 26, 27, 30 and 31, 2020, and April 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 13 and 14, 2020, inclusive, were declared non-working days for purposes of deferring the computation of the terms established in the tax legislation and the internal administrative procedures of this entity.
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