Category Archives: Blog

Impact of the Mining Industry in Nicaragua

Favio Batres Director Mining Specialist Nicaragua [email protected] Mining is one of the strongest industries with the greatest growth potential in Nicaragua. According to Central America Data, gold exports in Central America reached an increase of 387% in 2021, and Nicaragua is in the lead with $1.534.3 billion from the United States, well above its peers…

New Public Procurement Law in Costa Rica

Francisco Obando Director Public Law, Public Procurement & Regulation Costa Rica [email protected] On December 1, 2022, the new General Public Procurement Law will enter into force, repealing the Administrative Contracting Law No. 7494 of 1996 and its Regulations. As a result, all bidding participants, companies, and public administrations must seriously prepare to address the changes…

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…

BLP adds a renowned specialist in Business Law and Real Estate

As part of our growth strategy and in response to crucial market demands, BLP adds José María Pacheco as Special Counsel to its team in Costa Rica. José María joins our practice areas of Business Law and Real Estate and Hospitality. https://www.blplegal.com/blp-web-2021/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Jose-Maria-Pachecho-400×489-1-245×300.png José María Pacheco Special Counsel | Costa Rica José María has represented regional…

August 15 Holiday – Mother’s Day in Costa Rica

On August 15, Costa Rica will celebrate Mother’s Day, a holiday of mandatory payment according to article 148 of the Labor Code: An employer must pay for the holiday as a single day, even if an employee does not work the day. An employer who requires an employee to work the day must pay double…