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Ronald E. Evans

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Ronald Evans is managing partner in Venezuela, and chairs the Firm's Global Wealth Management practice group as well as the Tax Practice in Venezuela. He represents Latin America in the Firm's Tax Policy Group, and is highly recommended by various legal directories. He was the first chief of the Venezuelan tax administration’s (SENIAT) international affairs division, and served as Venezuela’s official negotiator for double taxation treaties from 1994 to1996. Ronald was an advisor to the minister of foreign affairs on double taxation issues from 1997 to 1999. He has chaired the Venezuelan branch of the International Fiscal Association since 2007, and is a member of STEP’s Advisory Committee for Latin America.

The Ministry of People’s Power for Science and Technology, through the National Fund for Science, Technology and Innovation (FONACIT), issued Administrative Ruling No. 015-004-2024 on 9 January 2024, which established the procedure and regulations regarding the assessment, self-assessment, payment and monthly return filing of the contributions for science, technology, innovation and their applications.

The National Executive Power issued Decree No. 4924 on 21 February 2024, which exonerates the following from paying the Large Financial Transactions Tax (LFTT): (i) debits that generate the purchase, sale or transfer of securities issued or guaranteed by the Republic or the Central Bank of Venezuela, (ii) debits or withdrawals related to the payment of their capital or interest, and (iii) securities traded in different stock exchanges or the agricultural stock exchange, made in a currency other than the legal tender.

On 29 December 2023, the People’s Ministry of Economy, Finance and Foreign Trade (MPPEFCE) issued Resolution No. 010-2023 (“Resolution 010“) and Resolution No. 011-2023 (“Resolution 011“) (together, “Resolutions“) establishing the rules on the organization and operation of the Superior Council for Tax Harmonization and the tables of maximum values applicable to state and municipal taxes and fees. The Resolutions were published in Official Extraordinary Gazette No. 6,783 and became effective upon its publication.

On 10 August 2023, the Venezuelan National Assembly issued the Organic Law for the Coordination and Harmonization of the Tax Powers of States and Municipalities. The law will enter into force on 8 November 2023, 90 continuous days after its publication in the Official Gazette. The Law sets forth that from its entry into force, the provisions of state laws and municipal ordinances establishing different tax rates from those allowed by the Law will be repealed. Likewise, states and municipalities will have an additional period of 90 continuous days, counted as of the entry into force of the Law, to adapt to the Law their legal-tax instruments in force.

The Ministry of People’s Power of Economy, Finance and Foreign Trade issued Resolution No. 017-2022 on 30 August 2022 (“Resolution”), whereby tariff codes were removed from and added to Appendix I of Decree No. 4,683 of 1 May 2022 (“Decree”). The Decree established the exemption from the payment of value-added tax (VAT), customs duties and customs service fees for imports of certain goods and economic sectors until 31 December 2022.
The Resolution entered into force on 12 September 2022 (i.e., five business days following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela).

The Presidential Press’1 and the Ministry of Habitat and Housing’s2 Twitter accounts announced on August 9, 2020 the execution of the “National Agreement of Municipal Tax Harmonization” (“Agreement”), prepared by the Bolivarian Council of Mayors of Venezuela3 to harmonize municipal taxes in 305 Venezuelan municipalities. (Venezuela has 335 municipalities).  Click here to see a copy of the Agreement, dated July 29, 2020. (available only in Spanish)