The Mayor's Office of Managua filed a lawsuit against Millicom, arguing that the company has a debt of almost $1 million on account of five years of arrears in the payment of the Real Estate tax.
The debt claimed by the City Hall corresponds to the alleged omission in the payment of the municipal tax corresponding to 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, a period in which the assets still belonged to Telefónica.
The bill being discussed in Costa Rica basically seeks to extinguish the assets of organized crime, but there are those who claim that as proposed, it puts at risk the presumption of innocence of individuals.
The extinction of domain is a concept that in practice refers to seizing or confiscating assets linked to criminal activities, and then transferring them in favor of the State.
Adverse court decisions against companies, social and political conflicts and fiscal issues are some of the factors that are impeding the development of productive projects in Central American countries.
One of the latest court decisions affecting companies with investments in the region was that of Minera Petaquilla, in Panama. The contract that this company had signed with the Panamanian State was declared unconstitutional last week.
Following the transfer by Abdul Waked of Gese's majority shareholding to Fundación Publicando Historia, the Editorial Group's access restrictions to the United States financial system have been lifted.
From a statement by the US ambassador in Panama:
I and my Embassy colleagues in Panama congratulate all parties involved in the successful effort to reestablish unfettered access to markets and the financial system of the United States on behalf of the newspapers of the La Estrella de Panama and El Siglo Editorial Group (GESE).
Legislative approval has been given to the reform of the Law for the Transformation and Development of Coffee Production which integrates the sturdy variety into the agricultural policy model.
The reform to Law 853 includes the creation of an Executive Secretariat for the National Commission for the Conversion and Development of Coffee (Conatradec), incorporating representatives of the public sector and the private sector.
The Nicaraguan private sector has proposed that the operation of the port be awarded in concession or a public-private scheme used in order to improve the efficiency and management of the port terminal.
Representatives of the Higher Council of Private Enterprise (Cosep) analyzed the scheme under which the Honduran port terminal in Cortes operates, which was granted in concession to the Central American Port Operator (OPC), to evaluate if it would be feasible to replicate the model in Port Maroon.
The private sector is proposing new municipal legislation in order to unify criteria and procedures and allow for a "reduction in discretion regarding fees and licenses."
The proposal to streamline municipal management is part of an initiative made up of 50 measures to improve the country's competitiveness, submitted by the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) to the Nicaraguan government.
The restrictions currently imposed on Guatemala in terms of air freedoms constitute a limiting factor to the competitiveness of its productive sectors.
EDITORIAL
In a recent webinar entitled "Open Skies Agreement and its Impact on Competitiveness"organized by Agexport, evidence was presented of the negative impact on Guatemala of having ratified only"... three of these freedoms(with the country only allowed to embark and disembark passengers and cargo in the state to which the airline belongs and at points within a reasonably direct route), and the limitations that this presents."
Lack of control of unofficial businesses that are setting up on the coasts is preventing further development in areas with high tourism potential such as San Juan del Sur.
The business community argues that the Law for the Development of Coastal and Environmental Conservation is not being complied with, as unofficial businesses such as restaurants and hotels are being allowed to set upon the coasts.
Aguilar Castillo Love is a leading international law firm with offices in Central America and Ecuador.
Organization that operates in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Central America
Phone: (505) 2225 8748
In order to protect sources of employment the Panamanian government wants the US to grant permissions so that Waked Group companies can temporarily transact with US citizens and businesses.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF):
Objective is to protect the jobs of Waked companies
Treasury Department has been asked to grant a license.
The identification of Grupo Waked in a money laundering network could result in significant changes in the representations of brands marketed in the country.
An article on Prensa.com cites Jorge Garcia Icaza, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama, who emphasized that restraint should excerised when dealing with the case in order to minimize damage which it is estimated could be caused, especially in relation to jobs in the companies under question.
Costa Rica and Guatemala are on the list of 23 countries that the US government considers necessary to monitor for violations of intellectual property rights.
On April 12, 2016, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) released its 2016 Special 301 Report. The Special 301 Report is the result of an annual review of the state of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection and enforcement in U.S. trading partners around the world.
Legal tax engineering is a mandatory business practice for anyone who wants to be competitive in today's globalized world, and only those who are not entrepreneurs can afford to refuse to acknowledge this fact.
EDITORIAL
With the same firmness that we criticize businesspeople who evade taxes or bribe officials to get a contract, we must defend every business practice which is framed within the law to pursue the best use of available resources to generate wealth through the production of goods and services, which is what businesses do.
Competing with multinationals under DR-CAFTA requires companies to comply with all the necessary processes to protect their brands, processes and products.
The arrival of multinational companies in Central America competing in legal equality with local or regional firms as a result of DR-CAFTA, highlights gaps in legal implementation and best practices for business on issues such as the protection of trademarks and intellectual property.