With the legislative endorsement of the law against tax fraud the Ministry of Finance will be able to have access to the list of shareholders of corporations, and the people behind other legal entities.
The bill which was approved in second debate by the Legislature stipulates: an obligation to accept as a method of payment, in addition to cash, credit cards and debit cards; an obligation to be up to date with tax payments before making contracts or applying for permits, concessions or authorizations with any state institution; the introduction of penalties for tax advisers engaged in illegal maneuvers to evade or reduce the amount to be paid by taxpayers; and strengthening of the processes of judicial collection.
A bill approved in the Legislative Commission creates a register of shareholders to which the tax authority would have unrestricted access.
The main objective of the project against tax fraud is to enable the Directorate General of Taxation to seize the assets and bank accounts of taxpayers classified as delinquent, under the order of a judge.The embargoes could be extended for a period of up to two years.
The new charges of tax evasion against Aceros de Guatemala demonstrates how the cumbersome procedures for receiving tax returns foster dishonesty among officials and businessmen.
The Justice Department and the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala have accused the company Aceros de Guatemala of committing tax fraud and customs fraud offenses, worth more than the $33 million, and which could be linked to the of customs fraud network dismantled a few months ago known as "The Line".
The dismantling of the network of corruption at the highest level of the taxation system shows the validity and the necessity that Central America has for having bodies such as the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala.
EDITORIAL
Guatemalan business leaders have been talking about the matter, after the release of the CICIG updates which shed light on a group of criminals who, from the highest level of customs administration, engineered smuggling and tax fraud in the country. See: "Customs Fraud Network in Guatemala".
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