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Former governments granted tax write-offs to singers and politicians

The two previous administrations canceled debts worth hundreds of millions in taxes

The current government has proposed to classify tax evasion as organized crime - Photo: Edgard Garrido/REUTERS
02/10/2019 |12:10
Redacción El Universal
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The Tax Administration Service has released the names of people whose tax debts were condoned or canceled during Felipe Calderón and Enrique Peña Nieto's administrations.

The name list was sent to Fundar , A nalysis and Research Center, an NGO and includes politicians , athletes , organizations , financial institutions , and singers .

For example, in regards to singer José José , the Mexican government canceled his MXN $10,947,763 debt; singer Paulina Rubio benefitted from the cancellation of her MXN $23,740,729 debt, and TV host Galilea Montijo saw her MXN $1,416,361 debt canceled.

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In regards to politicians, Diego Fernández de Cevallos was exempted from paying MXN $8,329,996 in taxes. Yeidckol Polevnsky, the president of Mexico's ruling party , Morena , had her MXN $16,441,439 debt canceled.

Argentinian businessman Carlos Ahumada

had his MXN $6,184,879 debt canceled in 2007.

Lawyer Juan Collado , who handled former President Peña Nieto's divorce , was exempted from paying MXN $12,069,519. Ángelica Rivera , who divorced Peña Nieto this year, had her MXN $1,784,676 debt canceled.

Casa de Bolsa Vector,

a brokerage firm , was exempted from paying MXN $4,611,874 in taxes, as well as soccer teams such as Monterrey , Guadalajara , Morelia , and Cruz Azul.

It took the NGO over four years to obtain the documents.

These debt remissions took place between January 2007 and May 2015 . It involved 7,885 taxpayers and companies , who benefited from an MXN $172,335 million tax cut .

Furthermore, previous administrations canceled over 21 credits worth MXN $817,700 million .

On the other hand, President López Obrador has insisted that his administration won't condone taxes and that those who have more will have to pay more taxes .

Meanwhile, former President Felipe Calderón said there had been no preferential treatment in the cancellation of debts :

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