Author Archives: BLP

New law for the protection of breastfeeding is issued in El Salvador

On September 27, 2022, the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador issued the law, “Love Converted into Food for the Promotion, Protection and Support of Breastfeeding.” This law has labor implications for companies regarding the establishment of lactation rooms and the granting of paid breaks to recent mothers to breastfeed or collect their milk during working…

BLP advises on the repurchase of bonds of the Republic of El Salvador

BLP acted as legal counsel to Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. as dealer manager, in respect of certain tender offers made by the Republic of El Salvador to repurchase in cash certain sovereign bonds due in 2023 and 2025, accordingly; for an aggregate of up to US$360 million in the first round, and up to $74 million in…

How does the foreign capital investment promotion law in Guatemala work?

Ruben Fuentes Senior Associate Guatemala [email protected] In the next few days, Decree 46-2022 of the Congress of the Republic containing the Law for the Promotion of Foreign Capital Investment will come into force. With the new legislation, the Government of Guatemala seeks foreign investors to enjoy incentives, making the country attractive to the arrival of…

Nicaragua bans the importation of electronic cigarettes

On September 6, the General Directorate of Customs Services issued the technical circular identified as CT/116/2022, informing the officials of the General Directorate of Customs Services and the public of the prohibition on the importation of electronic cigarettes and the obligation of importers and exporters of tobacco to register before the National Sanitary Regulation Authority….

Calculation of capital gains tax on the onerous transfer of assets

Michelle Avilés Senior Associate Tax specialist Nicaragua [email protected] The onerous transfer (sale, exchange, etc.) of goods is subject to the payment of income tax for capital gains. As its name indicates, with certain exceptions, its generating event is the profits generated by the transfer of assets. As it is a tax on profits, for its…

Law on Electric Mobility Incentives in Guatemala

On August 9, 2022, the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala approved Decree 40-2022, which contains the Law on Incentives for Electric Mobility offering tax inducements on the importation, sale, and use of electric vehicles or those that run on hydrogen, as well as hybrid cars. Tax benefits include exemption from the Value Added Tax…

Tax treatment of capital losses

Michelle Avilés Senior Associate Tax specialist Nicaragua [email protected] Any property transfer, whether profitable or not, is subject to income tax on capital gain or loss. Although gratuitous transfers cannot generate capital losses, the calculation of the tax base of an unprofitable transfer may indicate that a capital loss has occurred in the transaction. Since a…

Law on Prevention and Protection against Cybercrime in Guatemala

On August 4, 2022, the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala approved Decree 39-2022, which contains the Law on Prevention and Protection against Cybercrime. The law includes criminal sanctions for cyber activities that violate personal data, sensitive computer data, confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and data stored in computer systems or systems that use…

Guatemala joins the information bank for the regional evaluation of medicines

On August 2, 2022, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance announced adhesion to the regional mechanism for the joint evaluation of dossiers of medicines and related products for human consumption. With this adherence, the health regulatory authorities in charge of endorsing drug registrations in El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Guatemala…