ONAT detects tax evasion of almost 820 million pesos from January to May in Cuba.

The National Office of Tax Administration of Cuba (ONAT) detected tax evasion in the first four months of the year that exceeds 800 million pesos.

Belkis Pino Hernández, first vice chief of ONAT, revealed to Granma newspaper that in the first four months of the year, about 80,852 control actions were carried out, in which debts totaling 819 million 594 thousand pesos were identified.

According to the official, by the end of 2023 and up to last May, 210 reports of complaints for alleged tax evasion were filed, of which 207 correspond to individuals and only three to entities.

Of that total, 30 files were closed when the debtors paid their outstanding balances, another 117 files continued their legal process, and 63 cases are still pending.

Among the irregularities detected are the outdated, manipulation or alteration of books, records, sub-ledgers, and other models, the cancellations of accounts receivable without documentary support, and the failure to declare the contracted workforce.

Judith Navarro Ricardo, legal director specialist, reported that the response of the ONAT to these "fraudulent actions" was to carry out a "high number" of authorization withdrawals, bank account seizures, and travel restrictions (travel bans). The management did not provide any data.

In recent years, the ONAT has strengthened its pursuit of tax debtors and fraudsters, applying sanctions that can include fines of up to five thousand pesos, closure of establishments, seizure of accounts, and more recently, a ban on leaving the country for those who have not paid their obligations.

In 2022, the Office signed an agreement with the Directorate of Identification, Immigration, and Aliens (DIIE) of the Ministry of the Interior to prevent the exit of citizens with "significant" debts from the country. Until September of last year, around 600 taxpayers had been regulated.

Last October, the government prevented a taxpayer from Sancti Spiritus who owed nine million pesos in taxes from leaving the country.