The government of Las Tunas launches a tax campaign against high-revenue businesses and importers

The government of Las Tunas has intensified its efforts against tax evasion in recent months, focusing especially on higher-revenue businesses and importers in the province, in line with the "crusade" initiated by leader Miguel Díaz-Canel.

Yusdanis Ojeda Osoria, the deputy director of the National Office of Tax Administration (ONAT) in the area, informed the official newspaper Periódico 26 that practices such as underreporting of income, alterations in accounting records, and concealment of information have been detected. Additionally, there are violations related to the operation of tax accounts, an obligation that over 9,213 taxpayers in the area have yet to fulfill.

As part of these actions, described as a fiscal crusade, key taxpayers have been audited.

Out of the 59 registered importers in the province, 17 were inspected during the second half of the year, leading to findings amounting to 135 million pesos in reported sales or services.

These amounts, which include fines and late fees, are already being added to the state's treasury.

The oversight is not limited to importers. According to Ojeda Osoria, in recent days, 20 large businesses from various municipalities were inspected, uncovering a total of 13.5 million pesos that had not been declared.

These audits included three small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), six self-employed workers, and one non-agricultural cooperative, highlighting that the effort spans various sectors of the local economy.

Since January, the ONAT has successfully recovered 108 million pesos in tax debts, although there still remain 72.3 million pending, divided between 41.6 million for legal entities and 30.7 million for individuals.

To ensure payment collection, the authorities have implemented measures such as fines and immigration restrictions, affecting a total of 1,374 taxpayers so far.

These actions reflect the intention of the government of Las Tunas to strengthen its revenue collection capabilities and project an image of firmness in the face of tax irregularities, in a context where tax evasion remains a widespread issue.

However, the "anti-corruption crusade" led by Díaz-Canel, in an attempt to demonstrate that the regime is addressing societal issues, has spread throughout the country.

From January to October of this year, the authorities in Matanzas imposed fines totaling over 652 million pesos on private entrepreneurs for tax evasion.

Yenli Ortega Salgueiro, director of the ONAT in the province, revealed to Granma that although the quality of taxpayer payments has generally improved, in many cases substantial amounts of money are being evaded.

Similarly, the ONAT in Holguín has imposed migration restrictions on over 1,300 individuals with tax debts, as reported by the provincial director of the entity, Jorge Félix Pérez Marrero.

This measure, part of a national strategy against tax evasion and income underreporting, aims to ensure that those with outstanding tax obligations cannot leave the country before settling their debts.

Since last July, the Cuban government had announced that it would implement a "preventive embargo" as an auxiliary measure to ensure compliance with tax obligations.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Tax Crusade and Measures Against Evasion in Cuba